Climate stance of Australian politicians 'disturbing' – US Geological Survey chief

Chief scientist Virginia Burkett says: 'I thought it was just a US problem but it's not, apparently, it's a global problem'

A senior US government official has decried a "disturbing" rejection of climate science by Australian politicians.

Virginia Burkett, chief scientist for climate and land-use change at the US Geological Survey, said the denial of climate science by Australian decision-makers was a surprise to her. "I thought it was just a US problem but it's not, apparently, it's a global problem," she said.