Yesterday in the Legislature, BC Liberal MLA John Rustad claimed that carbon dioxide “is not a pollution.”

This widely-debunked claim about carbon dioxide is used by many climate change skeptics, including Maxime Bernier.

Rustad was objecting to a line in the Throne Speech highlighting the BC NDP’s commitment to “reduce carbon pollution.” Rustad claimed it was “ridiculous” and “misinformation” to describe carbon as a pollutant.

NASA’s Climate Change center describes carbon dioxide as a “greenhouse gas released through human activities” and that “over the past 171 years, human activities have raised atmospheric concentrations of CO2 by 48%.” (NASA)

Rustad has endorsed the leadership bid of BC Liberal Environment Critic Ellis Ross, who has claimed “even the scientists and the experts can’t agree” if climate change is real. (Press Progress)

Video of Rustad’s comments is available here.

George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change:

“Scientists are clear that carbon dioxide pollution from human activity causes climate change and resulting disasters like floods and forest fires. John Rustad’s denial raises serious questions about his beliefs on climate change. How can any substance that leads to such devastating results be considered anything but pollution? Shirley Bond must ensure he retracts his comments and states unequivocally that climate change is real and human-caused.”