Seth Meyers blasts Trump's 'dire' attitude toward climate change: 'It's literally life or death'
"One of the most dire consequences of a Donald Trump presidency may be its impact on climate change," the host said in a new edition of "A Closer Look" on Wednesday's episode of NBC's "Late Night." "And if there was any hope that Trump might soften his position on climate issues after he won, his cabinet picks tell a different story."
Part of the problem is the belief that the affects of climate change are decades away, but scientists have shown that the effects can be felt right now. Meyers pointed out that 16 of the hottest years in recorded history - including the hottest so far: 2016 - have occurred since 2000.
"So just to recap, 2016 was the hottest year ever," Meyers said, "Donald Trump won the presidency, and on top of that, the f--king Chicago Cubs won the World Series. I'm pretty sure that's three of the four horseman of the Apocalypse right there."
At the core of Trump's stance on climate change is his belief that it isn't real. During his campaign, he said that climate change is a hoax created by China. There was some hope that he could change his stance after Trump admitted that there was "some connectivity" between humans and the changing climate, and after news broke that his daughter, Ivanka Trump, had also met with famous climate change activists Leonardo DiCaprio and former Vice President Al Gore.
"Trump's team moved quickly to snuff out that glimmer [of hope] by reassuring everyone that Trump still thinks climate change is totally made up," Meyers said.
And to double-down on that reassurance, Trump's cabinet picks cemented the deal. He chose oil ally and fracking supporter, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, to head the Environmental Protection Agency. He also chose former Texas Governor Rick Perry, who has called climate change "phony," for energy secretary.
"So the climate situation may well be dire under the Trump Administration, which is why we need to keep bringing attention to it," said Meyers. "It's literally life or death. Without a strong response, we could be in for more arctic melting, extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and earthquakes."
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