Book contents
- Climate Change Science
- Reviews
- Climate Change Science
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part IEight Articles from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
- 1Reflections on the UN Climate Change Negotiations in Bali
- 2The Passing of a Climate Prodigy
- 3Climate Change, Irreversibility, and Urgency
- 4Climate Change and the 2016 Election
- 5How to Deal with Climate Change Denying Uncle Pete
- 6Wildfires and Climate Change
- 7Facts and Opinions about Climate Change
- 8Weaning a House and the World from Fossil Fuels
- Part IIUnderstanding and Communicating Climate Change Science
- Part IIIScientific Investigations of the Climate System
- Part IVThe Future
- Appendix: Curriculum Vitae of Richard C. J. Somerville
- Glossary
- Resources: Recommended Websites and Books
- References
- Index
4 - Climate Change and the 2016 Election
from Part I - Eight Articles from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 November 2025
Book contents
- Climate Change Science
- Reviews
- Climate Change Science
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part IEight Articles from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
- 1Reflections on the UN Climate Change Negotiations in Bali
- 2The Passing of a Climate Prodigy
- 3Climate Change, Irreversibility, and Urgency
- 4Climate Change and the 2016 Election
- 5How to Deal with Climate Change Denying Uncle Pete
- 6Wildfires and Climate Change
- 7Facts and Opinions about Climate Change
- 8Weaning a House and the World from Fossil Fuels
- Part IIUnderstanding and Communicating Climate Change Science
- Part IIIScientific Investigations of the Climate System
- Part IVThe Future
- Appendix: Curriculum Vitae of Richard C. J. Somerville
- Glossary
- Resources: Recommended Websites and Books
- References
- Index
Summary
The last four remining candidates in the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination vehemently reject the fundamental findings of modern climate science. They tirelessly repeat climate myths, the refutations of which are easily found on websites such as www.skepticalscience.com. In order to obtain political and financial support, especially from sources allied with the fossil fuel industry, they may conclude that they must attack mainstream climate science. Yet science is the best process that humanity has developed to learn about natural laws. These laws show us that today's generation has its hands on the thermostat controlling future climate. Mother Nature, or the physical climate system, is not concerned with anybody’s values or convictions or political litmus tests. Mother Nature is concerned with natural laws. She always wins.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Climate Change ScienceAn Essential Reader, pp. 20 - 22Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.0 A
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
The HTML of this chapter conforms to version 2.0 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), ensuring core accessibility principles are addressed and meets the basic
(A)
level of WCAG compliance, addressing essential accessibility barriers.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Structural and Technical Features
ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.