Supreme Court nominee Amy Connie Barrett declined to say whether she accepted climate change science when questioned by Orange Harris, saying there was a lack of expertise to know for sure and that it was controversial as a matter of urgency.

Barrett acknowledged man-made climate change, not science, when his confirmation hearing was pressed by a Democratic senator in California on Wednesday.

Barrett said the Democrats are the nominee for vice president and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, “he wanted to express his views on the highly controversial issue of public debate, and I will not do that.”

Barrett was answering multiple questions from Harris, whether he thought the coronavirus was contagious, whether smoking caused cancer, and “climate change is happening and it’s a threat to our air and the water we drink.”

The federal appeals court judge responded that he thought the coronavirus was contagious and caused cancer by smoking. He rebuked Harris on the issue of climate change, but sought “opinion” on “public policy, especially political controversy.”

The exchange of views took place during the committee’s hearing on Barrett’s nomination to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Jinsberg in the Supreme Court.

Scientists say climate change is an established fact and the damage it causes is mostly caused by burning oil, gas and coal. Climate experts, including federal scientists from the Trump administration, say the growing horrendous wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters point to the urgency of global warming.

President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of the coal, oil and gas industries, regularly questions and mocks the science of climate change, while Democratic rival Joe Biden is proposing a t 2tn plan to free Americans from tackling the climate crisis.

The Trump administration has reversed the Obama-era effort to reduce fossil fuel emissions from cars, trucks and power plants. Many of the administration’s environmental and public health rollbacks could appear before the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, Louisiana Republican and another member of the House, Senator John Kennedy, asked Barrett what he thought about multiple issues, including climate change, considering Barrett’s confirmation.

“I’ve read about climate change,” Barrett replied.

“And do you have any ideas about climate change that you thought about?” Kennedy asked.

Barrett responded by using the frequent refrain of more conservative Republicans on the subject, “I’m certainly not a scientist.” “I wouldn’t say I have a strong opinion about it.”