EPA air nominee focuses on climate adaptation, not regulation

President Donald Trump’s choice to lead EPA’s air office acknowledged Wednesday that climate change is real. As the toll of rising temperatures becomes increasingly apparent, however, Aaron Szabo would not commit to confronting them should he win Senate confirmation.

“My understanding is that there is some heat trapping that occurs from greenhouse gases,” Szabo told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee during his confirmation hearing.

Pressed by ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) about whether more needs to be done to reduce emissions, Szabo responded somewhat cryptically: “I believe that we need to be adapting to all changes, including those to the climate.”

Szabo hewed to the same line when later asked by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) whether he also acknowledged that more extreme weather events tied to climate change are leading to higher homeowner insurance premiums and other economic hardships.