Cross-posted from Climate Progress.

Stephen Colbert:

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Stories like this don’t tell themselves.

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The United States emits more CO2 per capita than the European Union and China combined. Just think what those emissions numbers would be if America still made anything. Right now it’s all coming from hobo fires and Vin Diesel movies.

Sadly (and comically), Colbert’s sarcastic conservative pundit persona is often grounded firmly in reality.

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His rants on climate change are particularly spot on. While going on another diatribe this week about our changing climate (this time by admitting it’s happening), Colbert pinpointed the reason why many Americans are still skeptical of the science in spite of the mounting evidence: “America has not hit bottom yet.”

Here’s the video:

Speaking of not knowing what to do — global warming. I know global warming is real, folks … And the evidence for global warming is mounting …

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In the face of all this mounting evidence, America has stood with one voice and boldly proclaimed: “Eh.”

Indeed, the gap between our understanding of the problem and our willingness to act is widening. Sometimes it takes a good comedian to point out how bad the situation is.