A Brexit Party candidate competing for a seat in Leeds in the upcoming General Election does not believe that the planet is facing a climate emergency.
Paul Thomas, who is standing in Leeds Central, said people shouldn't "exaggerate the so-called climate emergency" and described it as "a myth", during a hustings hosted by Leeds University Union on Thursday, November 28.
There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that climate change is having a catastrophic effect on the planet, causing droughts, heatwaves and severe flooding, and the United Nations say we have just over 10 years to "stop irreversible damage from climate change".
According to NASA, at least 97 per cent of climate scientists agree that it is extremely likely that the climate is warming due to human activities.
However, Mr Thomas has made it clear that he doesn't believe climate change is a pressing issue.
During the hustings on Thursday, he said: "To say I'm not an environmentalist would be putting it mildly.
"I think the first thing is you don't exaggerate the so-called climate emergency, which I think is a myth.
"I think also, particularly environmentalists need to have a bit more faith in humanity and raise their view of human potential.
"One of the ways we deal with the problem is through economic progress and technological advance.
"More advance societies and more advance technology have a secular greening effect if you like, they use more resources more efficiently.
"I think we should promote first-world development throughout the whole world, so people can lift themselves out of poverty."
The Channel 4 News Climate Debate was held on the same night as the hustings. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage and Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson did not take part in the debate and they were replaced with melting ice blocks.
Mr Thomas is competing for the Leeds Central parliamentary seat, which has been held by Labour's Hilary Benn since 1999.
According to YouGov's 2019 General Election MRP model, Mr Benn will be re-elected on December 12.
The poll also states the Conservatives are on course to win a sizeable majority in the UK, by taking 359 seats (42 more than they took in 2017) and 43 per cent of the vote.
YouGov says the predictions are based on over 100,000 interviews with registered voters and this model called 93 per cent of seats correctly in 2017.
Leeds Central
*Hilary Benn (Labour)
Jack Holland (Lib Dem)
Ed Carlisle (Green)
William Clouston - Social Democratic Party
Peter Fortune - The Conservative Party
Paul Thomas - Brexit Party
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