The internet was abuzz Monday night after Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., tweeted that the Earth had broken a record for hottest day in 120,000 years and called for a "climate emergency" declaration.
In response, Omar received calls for evidence and plenty of criticism.
Does she think we kept climate records 120,000 years ago? https://t.co/YdQD0cw2dY
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) July 18, 2023
"What was the temperature of the globe at 12pm GMT on July 1st, 116,539 BC?" quipped former White House adviser Stephen Miller. "Is this satire?" added Republican Utah Senate candidate Trent Staggs.
This comes after a July report by local Florida outlet WFLA-TV that "Earth broke a record for its hottest day in 120,000 years" on concurrent days. The report cited the Climate Reanalyzer dashboard maintained by the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute, but also warned the data "should NOT be taken as 'official' observational records."
It was pointed out by numerous tweeters that record-keeping on a global scale only began in the 1800s and that data from before that period is based on proxy data like tree rings, not precise daily recording.
"If you believe that we have precise daily temperature records dating back 120 thousand years, then this claim may seem credible," said Matt Walsh, a Daily Wire host. "But if you are approximately smarter than a sea sponge then you know that this is hysterical bullsh--."
If you believe that we have precise daily temperature records dating back 120 thousand years, then this claim may seem credible. But if you are approximately smarter than a sea sponge then you know that this is hysterical bullshit. https://t.co/0QHm14UPjy
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) July 18, 2023
Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, said the "national climate emergency" demand is an excuse to do "a bunch of left wing stuff." President Biden has focused much of his presidency on combating climate change, but has yet to formally declare it a national emergency.
Benji Backer, founder of the American Conservation Coalition, commented, "Declaring a ‘national emergency’, especially for an international problem, doesn’t solve a thing. Just look at COVID. It might do well on Twitter, but it sure isn’t a solution.
There is increasing awareness of the dangers of climate change, but that doesn't mean one should make claims regarding the effects of climate change based on data that is not guaranteed to be fully reliable or even in existence in the first place. It's important for everyone – elected officials and everyday citizens alike – to come together to fight climate change, but it can't be done based off of incorrect statements. It is vital to trust the scientific process and utilize the best data available to us.