Mike Quigley: “It has been 32 years since we have experienced a single month with a temperature below the 20th century average. We are…”

“It has been 32 years since we have experienced a single month with a temperature below the 20th century average. We are now all but certain that 2016 will be the single hottest year on record, replacing 2015 and 2014, which both held that title before it. As we stand here today, representatives from 195 nations, including our own, are meeting in Morocco to discuss how the world will move forward to implement the historic Paris Agreement forged last December. Yet, in that same 1-year span, the President-elect used his campaign for our country's highest office to promote policy ideas that would not only pollute the planet, but expose millions of Americans and billions worldwide to loss of life, livelihood, and property. If these dangerous ideas are put into action, they will imperil the unique and fragile ecosystems that make the United States a wonder of the world, and saddle our economy with potentially trillions of dollars in increased health care, disaster recovery, and adaptation costs, all while preventing American businesses and consumers from realizing the economic opportunities of a low-carbon economy. We have heard from the next Commander in Chief that climate change is a hoax concocted by the Chinese, which is beyond absurdity. Climate change is real, it is happening, and it is manmade. The science is settled with 97 percent of climate scientists in strong, steadfast agreement. Just take a look at the last month here in the United States.…”