Trump Says He Has 'Open Mind' On Climate, But Staff Pick Raises Questions

The good news for those worried that the U.S. will lose its leadership role in confronting climate change: President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday, "I have an open mind to it. ... I do have an open mind." At a meeting Tuesday with New York Times journalists and executives, Trump said he thinks "there is some connectivity" in terms of human activity causing climate change. However, he went on to say that "it depends on how much" connectivity. "It also depends on how much it's going to cost our companies. You have to understand, our companies are noncompetitive right now." Then he noted that he also finds the climate issue interesting because "there are few things where there's more division than climate change." ...It seems unlikely that Trump — who has called global warming a hoax perpetrated by China — has dramatically changed his views on climate change. Consider that on the same day he was informing the Times that he's open-minded, Trump formally announced that Myron Ebell would lead his transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency. That's a telling pick for those who've been watching debates over climate and energy. Ebell was one of seven people whose faces were recently featured in an activist campaign labeling them "Climate Criminals." He directs the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. It's one of the few conservative, free-market groups that's been an accredited non-governmental organization at the United Nations' climate meetings. Ebell has long questioned mainstream climate science and has argued against any need to rein in greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet...more