Monthly Archives: October 2008

US Climate Change Science Program posts final draft report warning of rising seas, damaged coasts

Posted on October 27, 2008 by Rick Piltz

The US Climate Change Science Program has posted a final (third) review draft of a key report, Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise:  A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region (available in .pdf).  Nearly 800 pages long and 3 years in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessments of Climate Impacts and Adaptation, U.S. Global Change Research Program | Leave a comment

Jim Hansen on “Obstruction of Justice”

Posted on October 26, 2008 by Rick Piltz

The science of climate change is clear and we no longer have the excuse of not realizing the “inter-generational injustice and inequity” of allowing more coal-fired power plants to be built, says Jim Hansen.  Commenting on the arrest on charges … Continue reading →

Posted in Science-Policy Interaction | Leave a comment

Report on ATSDR health warning failure on FEMA trailers and whistleblower retaliation

Posted on October 25, 2008 by Rick Piltz

According to a damning House Science & Technology Committee investigative staff report, the leadership of the federal Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) is responsible for a systematic failure to provide public health protection in connection with assessing … Continue reading →

Posted in U.S. Global Change Research Program, Whistleblowers | Leave a comment

Good riddance to Special Counsel Scott Bloch: Enemy of whistleblowers forced out of office

Posted on October 24, 2008 by Rick Piltz

We applaud the belated White House decision to finally remove the disastrous Special Counsel Scott Bloch from office.  Government Accountability Project:  “We look forward to the appointment of a Special Counsel who will prioritize protecting whistleblowers from retaliation over pursuing … Continue reading →

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New study of media policies finds some federal agencies stifle scientists’ contact with reporters

Posted on October 19, 2008 by Rick Piltz

The Union of Concerned Scientists issued a report on October 17 grading 15 federal agencies on their policies controlling communication between staff scientists and the news media and the public.  The report concluded that one of the agencies with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Science Censorship | Leave a comment

New GAP whistleblower series debuts on Free Speech TV with panel on scientific integrity

Posted on October 19, 2008 by Rick Piltz

“Whistle Where You Work,” a series dedicated to whistleblowers and occupational free speech, accountability and transparency issues, produced by the Government Accountability Project, has begun airing on the Free Speech TV network.  We are interviewed on one of the first … Continue reading →

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Federal climate science program ill-equipped to measure impacts: Better focus, more support needed

Posted on October 14, 2008 by Rick Piltz

Our nation’s federal Climate Change Science Program “has been plagued by a stagnant budget, poor coordination between participating agencies, and a lack of White House leadership” reported Eli Kintisch in the October 10 Science magazine.  The article underscores the need … Continue reading →

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Climate disruption can’t be avoided, will require adaptation, says new study published by NAS

Posted on October 9, 2008 by Rick Piltz

At this point, even the most optimistic scenarios of worldwide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will not be enough to avoid significant global warming—and thus the concomitant set of climate impacts that will disrupt our way life—according to a study … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change Preparedness | Leave a comment

Environmental groups force “critical habitat” designation for polar bears, despite Palin’s lawsuit

Posted on October 6, 2008 by Rick Piltz

The Center for Biological Diversity, along with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace have garnered a partial legal settlement as part of a lawsuit against the Department of Interior to use the provisions of the Endangered Species Act to … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Climate Disruption and Impacts | Leave a comment

In V-P debate, ask Biden and Palin for science and policy views on human-driven global warming

Posted on October 2, 2008 by Rick Piltz

The vice-presidential candidates debate tonight should include questions that enable viewers to compare and contrast the candidates’ positions on the fundamental challenge of human-driven global climate disruption.  While Obama and McCain differ less radically in their stated positions on climate … Continue reading →

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