Based on Latino Decisions' polling data, Latinos have labeled climate change as a threat, but former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a potential Republican Party presidential nominee, the topic should not be the highest priority for the U.S.

Bush recognized the "climate is changing," but it is unknown why. Although he said climate change should not be "the highest priority," Bush said the topic should not be ignored.

"I don't think the science is clear of what percentage is man-made and what percentage is natural. It's convoluted," said Bush from Bedford, New Hampshire. "And for the people to say the science is decided on, this is just really arrogant, to be honest with you.

"It's this intellectual arrogance that now you can't even have a conversation about it," continued Bush. "The climate is changing, and we need to adapt to that reality."

The former Florida governor's comments come after President Barack Obama delivered the U.S. Coast Guard Academy's commencement address on Wednesday.

"Cadets, the threat of a changing climate cuts to the very core of your service," said Obama, later adding, "Climate change will impact every country on the planet. No nation is immune. I'm here today to say that climate change constitutes a serious threat to global security, an immediate risk to our national security. And make no mistake, it will impact how our military defends our country and so we need to act -- and we need to act now."

Bush said, "If the president thinks this is the gravest threat to our national security, it seems like he would say, 'let's expand LNG (liquefied natural gas) as fast as we can to get it into the hands of higher carbon-intense economies like China and other places. Let's figure out ways to use compressed natural gas for replacing importing diesel fuel, which has a higher carbon footprint.'"

Last April while speaking at the New England Council's "Politics and Eggs" series, Bush said he was "concerned" about climate change but said the U.S. has reduced carbon emissions as a result of utilizing natural gas and conservation.

Latino Decisions' polling, for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in January 2014, found nine in 10 U.S. Latinos want the federal government to take action against climate change. Among the nine in 10 Latinos, 68 percent of Republican Latinos considered climate change was important. Following the poll's release, Latino Decisions co-founder Matt Barreto said action on climate change is a high priority for Latinos regardless of their age, income, political party affiliation or where they live.

"Here's an important message for our political leaders, and it cuts across party lines: Latinos intensely support taking action on climate change and fighting air pollution," said Adrianna Quintero, senior attorney for the NRDC and founder of Voces Verdes. "Latinos in the U.S. recognize the threat that climate change poses to the well-being of our families and the future of our community in this country and abroad, and want our leaders to solve it."

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who has confirmed his bid for the White House, shared a similar stance as Bush on climate change. While Rubio also said the climate is always changing, he does not believe the issue is man-made or the result of weather-related incidents.

In May 2014, Rubio said, "I don't agree with the notion that some are putting out there, including scientists, that somehow, there are actions we can take today that would actually have an impact on what's happening in our climate."

Rubio continued, "Our climate is always changing. And what they have chosen to do is take a handful of decades of research and -- and say that this is now evidence of a longer-term trend that's directly and almost solely attributable to manmade activity."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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