This is the consequence of Republicans being in power

Introducing James Inhofe, the Republican senator/climate change denier in line for the Senate's top environmental job, thanks to the recent midterm results in which the GOP regained control of America's upper house.

Inhofe is now expected to chair the senate's environment and public works committee according to the New Republic. The official decisions will not be announced for several weeks, but Inhofe, the author of The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future is already a self-described "senior member" of the committee.

They quote Inhofe in 2003, when he suggested global warming might actually benefit humanity.

It's also important to question whether global warming is even a problem for human existence. Thus far no one has seriously demonstrated any scientific proof that increased global temperatures would lead to the catastrophes predicted by alarmists. In fact, it appears that just the opposite is true: that increases in global temperatures may have a beneficial effect on how we live our lives.

• James Inhofe, senator for Okalahoma

Great stuff, everyone, just great!

More: How sure are we that humans cause climate change? 99.999 per cent sure