Chairman of the Commons Energy and Climate Change committee in England, Tim Yeo, who oversees government policy on climate change claimed that while humans may be a contributing factor to global warming, it could also be caused by "natural phenomenon," reported The Telegraph.
While Yeo admitted the earth's average temperature is increasing, human activity is only a "possible cause." Yeo is an environment minister under John Major, and is one of the largest advocates for cutting carbon emissions in the conservative party.
His statements on the causes of global warming go against the ideas of the general public, a recent review of over 12,000 academic papers on climate change revealed that about 97 percent of them agreed that global warming was a result of human activity.
"The first thing to say is it does not represent any threat to the survival of the planet. None at all. The planet has survived much bigger changes than any climate change that is happening now," Yeo said. "Although I think the evidence that the climate is changing is now overwhelming, the causes are not absolutely clear. There could be natural causes, natural phases that are taking place."
Yeo does think there is "at least a risk" that the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could be the cause of global warming.
"I think a prudent policy would say if we can do things about that which are no-regrets polices like being efficient in the use of energy, looking at none-fossil fuel sources, I think that's prudent to do so," he said.
Yeo called for the government to build a third runway at Heathrow airport in London. He called waiting Sir Howard Davies to issue his report on aviation capacity a "ludicrous response to a clear national need."
