At a Glance

AccuWeather CEO Barry Lee Myers, Trumps pick to lead NOAA, testified before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee Wednesday.Myers said he does believe global warming is caused by humans, which contradicts the administration's talking points on the issue.Myers has no scientific background and believes weather data should be privatized.

President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said during a confirmation hearing Wednesday that humans are the driving force behind global warming.

Contradicting the talking points of the Trump administration denying human-caused climate change, nominee and AccuWeather CEO Barry Lee Myers told senators of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee that he agrees with the of the recently released National Climate Assessment. The Congressionallymandated assessment compiled by 13 scientistsdetermined it is "extremely likely" humans are the primary cause of global warming since the beginning of the 20th century.

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markeyreferred to the assessment during questioning, asking Myers if he believed humans were responsible for the rise in global temperatures. Myers replied he had no cause to disagree with the results.

Markey pressured the nominee to be more specific, asking, “Does that mean you agree with them?”

After Myers gave another noncommittal but affirmative response, Markey pointedly asked, “So you agree that humans are the main cause of climate change. Is that what you’re saying?”

“That is what I am saying,” Myers responded.

When asked whether he would continue to support the scientists who work on the assessment, Myers also confirmed that he would do so. He also saidhe would not be swayed by anyone from the Trump administration who might try to dissuade anyone from the NOAA from mentioning human-caused climate change in research and discussions.

“No, I would not agree with that,” Myers said.

Under questioning by Illinois Democratic Sen. Ladda Tammy Duckworth, Myers noted that "if ice is melting, ice is melting, and one's opinion about it is really not relevant, it's a fact."

"So, I fully support the ability of scientists to do their work unfettered, that this information needs to be made available, science should take us wherever it takes us. We can't dispute the facts once they are in front of us and we need to act upon them," he said.

Trump's choice of Myers, who has no scientific background and believes weather data should be privatized, has raised the ire of climate scientists and meteorologists. The National Weather Service is under NOAA, and its employees' organizationto members of the committee in October opposing Trump's nominee.

“Asthis position has traditionally been filled by a pre-eminent scientist, and by that standard alone, Mr. Myers is wholly unqualified for the job,” the letter says. “In addition to his lack of scientific qualifications and his absence of any background in oceans, research, fisheries, environmental satellites, which constitute a majority of NOAA’s programs and budget, Mr. Myers’ nomination would present a host of conflicts of interests.”

(MORE:)

In 2016, Myers told Congress he had issues with the way NOAA keeps some data private. He also complained that the agency works with competing weather firms.

"American weather companies are now becoming the focal point for weather information in many of the countries around the world," Myers told Congress last year. "The number one mobile weather source in Europe is an American one — AccuWeather. We estimate that AccuWeather information is on about 1.5 billion or more devices globally.'"

The union representing the NWS noted in its October letter to the committee that Myers, if confirmed as NOAA Administrator, "would be in a position to fundamentally alter the nature of weather services that NOAA provides the nation, to the benefit of his family-owned business."

During testimony, however, Myers said he would agree to sell his interestin Accuweather, his family-ownedbusiness, if confirmed.