Donald Trump picks climate change sceptic Scott Pruitt to lead EPA

(The Guardian, 8 Dec 2016) President-elect’s latest cabinet pick is a clear signal of Republicans’ desire to dismantle Obama’s climate legacy.

Scott Pruitt, attorney general of Oklahoma and a sceptic of climate science, has been chosen by Donald Trump as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pruitt, a Republican, has been picked at a time when he is part of legal action waged by 28 states against the EPA to halt the Clean Power Plan, an effort by Barack Obama’s administration to curb greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. His nomination is a clear signal of Republicans’ desire to dismantle Obama’s climate legacy.

“We’re very accustomed to the naysayers and the critics,” said Trump aide Kellyanne Conway. “Attorney General Pruitt has great qualifications and a good record as AG of Oklahoma and there were a number of qualified candidates for that particular position that the president-elect interviewed. We look forward to the confirmation hearings.”

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The Guardian, 8 Dec 2016: Donald Trump picks climate change sceptic Scott Pruitt to lead EPA