Energy Secretary Rick Perry is asked a simple question at Tuesday’s White House press briefing: Climate Change: Fact or fiction? Perry acknowledges that climate does change over time, and that presenly humans are having some impact on the climate. “How much effect is what is at debate here,” he said. “And more importantly: What is the United States going to do about that?” About the Paris climate deal, he said: “Are we going to sign an agreement that really doesn’t call anybody to make any changes?” He also called for the White House to convene a panel of experts: “The science isn’t settled yet. I tend to say, okay, let’s have a conversation and get these guys together.” “Can we agree that we ought to have a conversation as a people, intellectually engaged, not screaming at each other, no standing up in the middle of my speeches and calling me a ‘climate denier.’ When the fact is, I just want to have a conversation about this,” he said.

REPORTER: Climate change. Just to be straight. RICK PERRY: Really be straight! REPORTER: As straight as possible. Climate change is a fact, but you want us to have a discussion about exactly what has to be done about the climate change? It is not up for discussion — that part of it? RICK PERRY: I’m only going to give you one more chance. I want you to think about how you’re putting this out there. REPORTER: I’m putting it out this way: You are saying that climate change, man has accepted climate change, and the discussion is about what we do with it, not whether or no we have affected it? So going forward, that is resolved? RICK PERRY: No. What I said was climate is changing, always has. Man at this particular point in time is having an effect on it. How much effect is what is at debate here. And more importantly: What is the United States going to do about that? Are we going to sign an agreement that really doesn’t call anybody to make any changes? You look at that agreement — at what China and India are required to do — it is nothing! How many coal plants? 300+ coal plants we built in India. So, I mean, why would we sign on to an agreement that is not holding other people to account, and asking us to give $3 billion? The Trump administration said that is nonsense. I agree with them that it is nonsense, okay? Now, can we agree that we ought to have a conversation as a people, intellectually engaged, not screaming at each other, no standing up in the middle of my speeches and calling me a ‘climate denier.’ When the fact is, I just want to have a conversation about this. REPORTER: The science is settled. PERRY: No they haven’t… The science isn’t settled yet. I tend to say, okay, let’s have a conversation and get these guys together.

  This article appeared on the Real Clear Politics website at https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/06/27/energy_secretary_rick_perry_calls_for_intellectually_engaged_conversation_about_climate_change_with_no_yelling.html