A Republican congressman told his constituents at a town hall that they needn’t worry about the impact of climate change on the globe.
“I believe there's climate change. I believe there's been climate change since the beginning of time,” Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., said. “Do I think man has some impact? Yeah, of course. Can man change the entire universe? No.”
Walberg said his thoughts on climate change reflect his Christian beliefs.
“I believe that there is a creator in God who is much bigger than us,” the congressman said. “And I'm confident that, if there's a real problem, he can take care of it.”
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He made the comments at a coffee hour in Coldwater, Michigan, which lies near the center of the state about 15 miles north of Indiana. In office since 2011, Walberg was re-elected in November by 15 percentage points over his Democratic challenger.
Walberg said he majored in forestry and land management, so he said he values “God’s created resources.” He said he supports Great Lakes restoration and as a fly fisher, he wants streams to remain clear. He said Glacier National Park was his “favorite place on earth.”
“I want to conserve,” Walberg said, but indicated doing so shouldn’t sacrifice jobs for Americans.
On his website, Walberg said he supports “all of the above” energy policy but believes that federal regulations make it harder for his constituents to “enjoy affordable energy.”
Walberg’s comments come as media reports indicate President Donald Trump plans to withdraw from the global climate agreement reached in Paris in 2015. Trump pledged during the campaign to rescind the accord negotiated by the Obama administration, saying it would cost American jobs and harm the economy.
Administration officials like Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and senior adviser Jared Kushner — as well as businesses like ExxonMobile, Shell, Chevron and BP — urged Trump to uphold the pact. Other world leaders also lobbied the president not to withdraw from the agreement on his first overseas trip last week, fearing it won’t have the intended impact without the U.S. Only Syria and Nicaragua did not originally sign onto the agreement.
Trump tweeted Wednesday that he would make his decision soon.
I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2017
Walberg is one of 14 House members representing Michigan. He’s a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and sits on the subcommittees on Energy and Environment.
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