Climate change, a factor in Texas floods, largely ignored

[ashling]

http://kxan.com/2015/05/28/climate-change-a-factor-in-texas-floods-largely-ignored/

AUSTIN (TEXAS TRIBUNE) — Climate change is taking a toll on Texas, and the devastating floods that have killed at least 15 people and left 12 others missing across the state are some of the best evidence yet of that phenomenon, state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said in an interview Wednesday.

“We have observed an increase of heavy rain events, at least in the South-Central United States, including Texas,” said Nielsen-Gammon, who was appointed by former Gov. George W. Bush in 2000. “And it’s consistent with what we would expect from climate change.”

But the state’s Republican leaders are deeply skeptical of the scientific consensus that human activity is changing the climate, with top environmental regulators in Texas questioning whether the planet is warming at all. And attempts by Democratic lawmakers during the 2015 legislative session to discuss the issue have come up short.

“In part, it’s ideologically driven and intellectually lazy,” said state Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, who earlier this year invited national security experts to the state Capitol to testify at a hearing on the risks of climate change. “My question is: What are people scared of? Are they scared of th

e truth?”

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. Not by me, my family, my seedling customers...we've had lots of

driveway discussions about this...as well as the hot weather tragedy in India...the earth is not a happy camper at all, and quite pissed off at we humans.

[CanonRay]

2. Using right wing thinking, the floods must be because God is pissed at Texas

I think it must be due to their opposition to gay marriage.

[ashling]

4. my MIL says it is the end of the world

[Downwinder]

3. Climate or weather?

The period between spillway events at Lake Texoma is halving.

1957, 1990, 2007, 2015

[ashling]

5. I knew somebody would bring up

math. Nobody said there was going to be math !