The American Metrological Society is taking the head of Environmental Protection Agency to task for remarks downplaying the role of human activities in contributing to climate change.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt raised eyebrows last week when he told a CNBC reporter that human activity was not a primary contributor to climate change. His statement contradicted both the vast majority of scientific research on the subject and public information on the EPA's website.

In a March 13 open letter to Pruitt, AMS said that carbon dioxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels was "the global warming revealed by the temperature records over recent decades."

"In reality, the world's seven billion people are causing climate to change and our emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are the primary cause," the group said. "This is a conclusion based on the comprehensive assessment of scientific evidence."

AMS said it understood people and institutions can reach different conclusions about what actions to take given the same evidence, "but mischaracterizing the science is not the best starting point for a constructive dialogue." http://bit.ly/2m0LZG3

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