Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is wrong to suggest global warming may be beneficial to humans. Here are a few points of reference to discount Pruitt’s absurd statement:

• Deadly heat waves are occurring with more frequency and intensity

Sure, summers are supposed to be hot. But the past three years have been the hottest on record, and to start this year New Zealanders suffered their hottest January ever.

Because the ocean stores heat from the atmosphere, warmer surface temperatures, even if seasonal, contribute to rising sea temperatures. And it only takes a few degrees more of heat to disrupt marine life.

• Underwater heatwaves cause coral bleaching, killing some reefs
• Fisheries in developing countries will suffer the most

There’s a veritable plethora of research in this area, and there are far too many stories to date of how rising sea temperatures have negatively impacted marine life, human health, and the food web itself.

The longer we continue to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the worse things will be for all living organisms. But don’t take my word for it. Do your own research and learn the facts about climate change.