Live Stream: EPA Pick Scott Pruitt Faces Climate Change Questions In Confirmation Hearing

Scott Pruitt, the Republican attorney general from Oklahoma and Donald Trump's pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, faced the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Wednesday in his first day of confirmation hearings.

Many senators and observers hoped to see Pruitt pressed on his views about climate change, which Trump has largely downplayed as an issue. Early on in the hearing, Pruitt acknowledged the scientific consensus on the matter, while hedging on whether or not public officials should be taking action to mitigate the consequences of climate change.

"Science tells us that the climate is changing and that human activity, in some manner, impacts that change," he said. "The ability to measure with precision the degree and extent of that impact and what to do about it are subject to continuing debate and dialogue and well it should be."

His hearing also comes on the day that NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released data showing that 2016 was the hottest year on record. The press release also notes that 2015 was prior record-breaking year, and prior to that, 2014 held the record.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore