Source: WFAE
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is not known for keeping his thoughts and opinions to himself when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, women, reproductive rights, Jewish people, Democrats and many others. The same goes for his views on climate change, WFAE reported.
Robinson has called the scientifically proven phenomenon “junk science,” which isn’t all that surprising considering that Robinson has said he doesn’t believe children should even be taught science in school.
Robinson, who is running for governor in 2024, is likely to cruise through the Republican primary without much trouble because the NCGOP base loves his positions on issues like education, abortion and LGBTQ+ people. The base also loves his belief that climate change is just made up by liberal scientists, but he’s going against public opinion with his views on the subject (as well as most of his views on everything else).
According to a recent climate opinion survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, 74% of Americans of all political backgrounds think climate change is real and currently happening – and most of them also believe that humans are the cause (61% to 28% who don’t). The survey shows that 15% of Americans don’t believe in climate change.
Among scientists, there is wide acceptance that climate change is happening and that it’s caused mainly by the fact that humans burn fossil fuels.
It would be one thing if Robinson didn’t believe that climate change was real but still thought that it would be a good idea to switch to renewable energy that can be harnessed right here in North Carolina – but he doesn’t.
According to WFAE, in July Robinson criticized people who call for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and other efforts to reduce the pollution that is directly leading to climate change.
“We have now allowed those folks to dictate what we do based on pseudoscience, junk science that has not proven a single solitary thing,” Robinson said.
The lieutenant governor also went after educators and called them “liars.”
“These people that are at the college telling your young people that it’s the climate change [that] is gonna kill us all … these people, I’m gonna say it right now, they are liars. Liars,” he said to loud cheers from the church congregation where he was speaking.
Robinson’s views on climate change are just another major difference between him and his likely Democratic gubernatorial opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein. Stein has pushed for the state to take action on the climate crisis and is a big proponent of clean energy. He has also pushed Duke Energy to include more renewable energy in the utility’s carbon plan and is also a supporter of incentives for rooftop solar, WFAE reported.
With everything that is happening in the legislature in Raleigh, it’s valid to question if climate change will even be mentioned in the governor’s race or if it will play an important role in it. According to a 2021 Yale/George Mason state-by-state poll, highlighting the importance of fighting climate change could be a winning issue for Democrats. The poll found that North Carolinians are in step with the rest of the nation when it comes to the belief that climate change is happening (71% vs. 72% nationwide), as well as the belief that global warming is caused mostly by humans (55% vs. 57% nationwide).
Climate change is unlikely to be the issue that will put either candidate over the top, but it’s worth highlighting the massive differences between Stein and Robinson because it’s just further proof that Robinson is out-of-step with North Carolinians outside of his base.
