On Fox: Stolen Climate E-mail and the Integrity of Science
Just days away from the Copenhagen summit, pundits pounce.
Fox Business had me on last week to talk about the growing controversy over the stolen emails at the Climate Research Unit of Britain's University of East Anglia. Unlike host Charles Payne, who clearly sees a near-fatal blow to the integrity of climate science, I have mixed feelings, which I expressed on the air:
Scientists have to protect the integrity of their research, and any appearance that data is being manipulated is serious, indeed. Of course, stealing email is serious, too, but it would be better if there were nothing for thieves to find.
The RealClimate.org blog says the most interesting thing is what is not in the emails: "There is no evidence of a worldwide conspiracy, no mention of George Soros nefariously funding climate research...no admission that global warming is a hoax...and no 'marching orders' from our socialist/communist/vegetarian overlords." No, but there is some embarrassing stuff nonetheless.
As I mentioned on the air, there's nothing new about manipulating science. According to (TDG contributor) Chris Mooney's The Republican War on Science, it was common practice during the Bush Administration. You'll get an earful from Robert Kennedy, Jr.'s Crimes Against Nature, too.
It's also clear that climate changes are well underway (see the book I edited, Feeling the Heat), and that global warming is very real. Evidence continues to accumulate daily. The situation is serious, and it's another reason for protecting the integrity of the scientific process. At a critical time, with Copenhagen climate talks around the corner and a global warming bill pending in Congress, distractions like this are really regrettable.
Jim Motavalli
Jim Motavalli is a senior writer at E/The Environmental Magazine, a regular contributor to the New York Times and author most recently of Naked in the Woods: Joseph Knowles and the Legacy of Frontier Fakery.read full bio.
Comments | Add a comment
From clean cars like hybrids and fuel-cells to getting the best gas mileage ... read more.
rss
- 8 Facts and Myths About Warming Up Your Car in Winter
- New Research on Electric Cars Suggests Eager Drivers
- 6 Standout Green Cars from the 2011 Detroit Auto Show
- Detroit Auto Show's Car of the Future Is Loaded with Green and Convenience Features
- Ford's Better Idea: An Electric Car, with Apps
- 2010 Was a Mixed Bag for Green Cars
- 8 Facts and Myths About Warming Up Your Car in Winter
- Do You Know How to Get Better Gas Mileage?
6 Gas Mileage Myths - Finding the Best Fuel-Efficient SUV Crossover
- Tesla Electric Cars Take Off with $465 Million in Government Funding
- Will Low Rolling Resistance Tires Save Enough Gas to Justify Their Cost?
- The Smart Car Reviews: Good Gas Mileage and Surprises
|
||||||||||||
 |
Enter your city or zip code to get your local temperature and air quality and find local green food and recycling resources near you.
|
 |
||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||
Connect with Us 
: 
: More Options
