Bill Nye schools Marsha Blackburn on climate: Stop denying and start leading

Bill Nye "The Science Guy" implored Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Sunday to stop wasting time by denying that the climate was changing and to start leading the charge to do something about it.

Nye began his debate with Blackburn on NBC's Meet the Press by applauding President Barack Obama's call to create a $1 billion fund to prepare for climate change.

"What I've always said, we need to do everything all at once," Nye explained. "And this is an opportunity for the United States to innovate, to be the world leader in new technologies."

Blackburn, however, shot back that Nye was just an "actor," while she was a member of Congress.

"What we have to do is look at the information we get from climate scientists, and as you said, there is not agreement around the fact of exactly what is causing this," Blackburn opined.

Nye pointed out that Blackburn and other climate change deniers were trying to introduce uncertainty.

"This is unscientific, this is not logical," he said. "It is a way, apparently, that the fossil fuel industry had dealt with our politics. This is not good. You don't need a PhD in climate science to understand what's going on, that we have overwhelming evidence that the climate is changing. That you cannot tie any one event to that is not the same as doubt about the whole thing."

"What you have to do is you have to look at what that warming is," Blackburn argued. "When you look at the fact that we have gone from 320 parts per million -- 0.032 to 0.040 -- 400 parts per million [carbon dioxide in the atmosphere], you realize it's very slight."

"Once again, the congresswoman is trying to introduce doubt," Nye replied. "What I would encourage everybody to do is back up and agree on the facts. Would you say that the Antarctic has less ice than it used to? When you asserted, Congresswoman, 320 to 400 parts per million is insignificant, my goodness."

At this point, Nye gasped while trying to find the words to express his frustration.

"That's 30 percent!" he said. "I mean, that's an enormous change. And it's changing the world. And that's just over the last few decades."

"I encourage the congresswoman to really look at the facts. You are a leader. We need you to change things, not deny what's happening."

Watch the video below from NBC's Meet the Press, broadcast Feb. 16, 2014.