Jeb Bush slams ‘intellectual arrogance’ on climate

Jeb Bush criticized the way President Obama talks about climate change and the priority he places on it, while acknowledging that something must be done about global warming.

The former governor of Florida and potential Republican presidential candidate acknowledged Wednesday in New Hampshire that the climate is changing, as he has before, but he questioned the degree to which humans contribute.

{mosads}“I don’t think the science is clear of what percentage is man-made and what percentage is natural. It’s convoluted,” Bush said at a campaign event, according to CNN.

“For the people to say the science is decided on this is really arrogant, to be honest with you,” he said. “It’s this intellectual arrogance that now you can’t have a conversation about it, even. The climate is changing. We need to adapt to that reality.”

Bush accused Obama of climate policies that result in reduced economic activity, in an attempt to cut carbon emissions, CNN reported.

Instead, the federal government ought to incentivize energy technologies that reduce greenhouse gases, like drilling techniques that increase natural gas production.

“I don’t think it’s the highest priority,” he said. “I don’t think we should ignore it, either.”

The Democratic National Committee told CNN that 97 percent of scientists believe that humans significantly contribute to climate change.

“But Jeb Bush thinks they’re wrong,” DNC spokeswoman Holly Shulman said in a statement. “Who’s being intellectually arrogant now?”