At a UK Royal Society symposium last week, Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, was as blunt on the reality of climate science as he was critical of those who deny it. His full remarks are here.

Some excerpts on the science:

Two hundred years of good science – teasing out uncertainties, considering risk – has laid the foundation of what we now understand.

It screams out from decade upon decade of research.

The basic physics of climate change is irrefutable.

Greenhouse gases warm the atmosphere and cause changes to the climate.

Human activity is significantly contributing to the warming of our planet.

And on the mistaken notion that  reading on climate action is bad for a country’s economy:

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The Effects of Rising Energy Costs on American Families and Employers

Daniel J. Weiss testimony before the House Oversight Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care, and Entitlements (full PDF here)

Chairman Lankford, Ranking Member Speier, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on “The Effects of Rising Energy Costs on American Families and Employers.”

When considering energy prices, there are three primary considerations.

1. Fossil fuel prices do not include the costs of their side effects such as air pollution and the associated health care costs for premature deaths or asthma attacks.
2. The Obama administration has adopted important policies to reduce energy costs for middle- and lower-income families.
3. Expanding domestic oil production in protected lands and waters will not lower gasoline prices, but high gasoline prices yield high oil company profits for companies receiving huge tax breaks.

Fossil fuel-generated energy has real external costs

• When assessing the effects on rising energy costs, it is essential that this evaluation also include their external costs—and who pays them. This includes the following expenses:
• Mercury and toxic pollution from power plants threaten children, senior citizens, and the infirm with brain impairment or respiratory illnesses. Reducing these pollutants will return $3 to $9 in health benefits for every $1 in cleanup costs.
• Coal-fired power plants produce one-third of all the climate pollution in the United States.
• Climate change has real costs to our economy. The National Journal, for instance, reported that the drought will reduce Mississippi River barge traffic, resulting in “losses of about $7 billion through the end of January, according to the barging industry.”
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that in 2011 to 2012 there were 25 floods, droughts, storms, heat waves, and wildfires that each caused at least $1 billion in damages. Together, these severe events caused 1,100 fatalities and up to $188 billion in total damages.
• Pollution reductions internalize some of these costs of pollution so that they are paid for by the fuel users rather than by everyone.

The Obama administration has adopted important policies to reduce energy costs

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