UN panel wraps up climate report

A United Nations panel has finished off a report that it says proves that humans are contributing to climate change. 

{mosads}The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change wrapped up the report after hours of negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Associated Press reported. The report will be released to the public on Sunday.

According to the AP, the report will make the case that the impacts of climate change could become permanent unless greenhouse gas emissions are rolled back around the world. The UN panel also says it’s practically certain that those emissions and deforestation are the major causes of the worldwide increase in temperatures in recent decades.

Among scientists, there is a consensus that human activity is playing a large role in climate change. But a small minority of scientists, and some conservative activists and lawmakers, reject that view.

Senior Republicans like Speaker John Boehner (Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) have tried in recent months to brush aside the debate over climate change by noting they’re not scientists.

But Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), applauding the coming climate report, urged the GOP on Saturday to drop that approach.

“Many Republicans now respond to the crisis of climate change by saying they are not scientists and therefore have no opinion,” Sanders said. “Well, most of them are not doctors but they respect doctors’ opinions on cancer and heart disease. Most of them are not generals but they respect the opinions of our military leaders. It’s time for them to respect the views of the scientific community on climate change.”