Astrophysics involves also the gases around planets and the energy coming from the sun which are the main reasons for climate change.

Though to be fair, he probably was dunking with his PhD on someone who hasn't set a foot into any scientific institution in his life.

Anybody with a scientific education learns some common principles and learns how the sausage is made. So that alone is probably enough.

I think it's more the "real SCIENCE" part that they're checking against. Not the climate change specifically.

She understands and respects science. That’s huge. Sure, she’s not a climatologist, but she knows more about general scientific principles than some idiot who watches too much propaganda that describes itself as “news”.

High degree of science literacy and critical thinking skills

Its about her clearly having done actual science and surely knows how a scientific approach works.