Democrat presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, who graduated from Columbia University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in English, not a degree in science, appears to believe that there are a meager 10 years to take environmental action or the world will become uninhabitable because of alleged climate change.
He indicated as much during a discussion Monday evening on MSNBC about his radical new climate proposal — one not too dissimilar from socialist congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “Green New Deal” — that calls for guaranteeing net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Do you see the oil and gas industry as an opponent in that? Won’t you have to declare yourself in opposition to their interests?” MSNBC host Chris Hayes asked the 2020 contender Monday.
“We know that certain oil and gas corporations have been fighting public policy on this issue, have been hiding their own science and research at the expense of our climate and human life,” O’Rourke replied. “So whenever those two things come in contrast or in opposition, I’m always going to choose the people of this country.”
“Having said that, I want to make sure those who work in the oil and gas industry, those who work in the fossil fuel industry are brought along as partners to make sure that we make this transition in the 10 years we have left to us as the science and scientists tell us to make the kind of bold change that we need.”
Listen:
“12 years isn’t a deadline, and climate change isn’t a cliff we fall off — it’s a slope we slide down,” NASA climate scientist Kate Marvel said to Axios three months ago, adding that “even under a business-as-usual scenario, the world isn’t going to end in exactly twelve years.”
She issued the remark around the time that AOC began falsely claiming that only 12 years remain until doomsday. Following the release of her widely panned “GND” in February and O’Rourke’s entrance into the 2020 race in March, the failed Texas gubernatorial nominee began echoing the same lie.
“This is the final chance. The scientists are unanimous on this. We have no more than 12 years to take incredibly bold action on this crisis,” he said at a campaign event last month in Keokuk, Iowa.
“They say we should do nothing less than marshal every resource in the country to meet that challenge, to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, to get to net zero emissions, which means not only must we emit less greenhouse gasses, we must plant things that absorb greenhouse gasses and Carbon and invest in the technology to allow us to claim some that are in the air now. Can we make it? I don’t know. It’s up to every one of us. Do you want to make it?”
Listen:
Note that he made this remark after a number of scientists had disputed AOC’s 12 years claim, including Gavin Schmidt, who leads NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
“All the time-limited frames are bullshit,” Schmidt said to Axios in an email back in January. “Nothing special happens when the ‘carbon budget’ runs out or we pass whatever temperature target you care about, instead the costs of emissions steadily rise.”
AOC has continued to tout the 12-years narrative nevertheless. So has O’Rourke, clearly.
“How many years until the world ends again?” Ocasio-Cortez said in an Instagram post earlier this month, reading from a list of questions submitted by her users.
“We have twelve years left to cut emissions by at least 50%, if not more, and for everyone who wants to make a joke about that, you may laugh, but your grandkids will not,” she answered.
It’s unclear why she and O’Rourke remain so allergic to the facts. The 2020 contender’s remarks Monday did inspire some mockery though from those who feel as if Democrats in general — including congressional Democrats and Democrat presidential candidates — are trying to one-up each other.
Look:
They’re going to keep bidding until there’s five minutes left https://t.co/5cOPpaGRh9
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) April 30, 2019
One year, Bob! pic.twitter.com/Z0dy0aR8pu
— Kaleb Stuckey (@KalebStuckey) April 30, 2019
@BetoORourke @aoc Great News! The world is not going to end in 10 years, or 20 years, or 30 years. You can stop trying to one-up each other on #doomsday predictions. Stick to irrational giveaways of taxpayer money.
— Colin F. Burch (@cburch3) April 30, 2019
Do I hear 8? Anyone 8? Last call for 8? #Liberalinsanity
— Cristina (@Cricrifi) April 30, 2019
REVISION #147 AOC has been out bid. According to Beto yesterday, civilization has only ten years left on earth if no action is taken on climate change.
YOUR SURVIVAL IS NOW T-MINUS 3,649 DAYS.
THEY LIE#FutureProvesPast
Who can lie the best!
Trump = Promises made, promises kept pic.twitter.com/vsjOgUTd7e— Support Hero General Flynn⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@golfatam) April 30, 2019
@BetoORourke @AOC and the gang have no clue. According to @algore from 20 years ago the world has already ended several times due to global warming ? @KellyannePolls @cnnbrk pic.twitter.com/STnnMeYQ34
— Eric Reinhold (@EricReinhold4) April 30, 2019
Hey @AOC, @BetoORourke, can one of you clear this up for me? I am trying to get my affairs in order prior to the end of the world, and I need to know if its 10 or 12 years we have left?
Please advise#MAGA #KAG2020 #ClimateHoax #10or12
— MadeintheUSA (@wallisagogo) April 30, 2019
Another year to make note of 10 years by @BetoORourke NOT 12 stated by @AOC Which Democrat has the next number of years? How many years did Al Gore give us again? @takecaback Do you recall??
— Diana Wright (@DianaWr48476186) April 30, 2019
O’Rourke’s 10 year warning is part of a radical climate plan he released Monday.
Our bold climate plan mobilizes $5 trillion — spurred by the largest investment towards fighting climate change in history — and guarantees we achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 while getting halfway there by 2030. pic.twitter.com/2jEJLCB32y
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 29, 2019
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