ClimateScienceWatch

Promoting integrity in the use of climate science in government

Climate Science Watch is a nonprofit public interest education and advocacy project dedicated to holding public officials accountable for the integrity and effectiveness with which they use climate science and related research in government policymaking, toward the goal of enabling society to respond effectively to the challenges posed by global warming and climate change. See Details

Combining energy and climate advice into one White House position is not a perfect solution

Posted on Friday, December 12, 2008

Global climatic disruption has been elevated as a national priority to the point that the Obama-Biden administration has acknowledged that it must have one or more top-notch climate advisers in the White House to deal with the problem effectively. However, the selection of former EPA Administrator Carol Browner to serve as the President’s adviser for both clean energy policy and climate change raises a question about how much high-level attention will be given to the need for enhanced national climate change preparedness that includes adaptation (reducing vulnerability) to the unavoidable impacts of climate disruption, as well as mitigation (reducing emissions).

Commmunities call for strong federal support from President Obama to tackle climate disruption

Posted on Thursday, December 11, 2008

Despite the spate of hefty price tags for government bailouts, military actions, and economic recovery, an effective climate change response at the grassroots level will require more than paltry budget leftovers. This essential message is being echoed in towns and cities across America during “Local Climate Action Week” (Dec. 8-15) by Climate Communities, a partnerhip of ICLEI USA and The Ferguson Group.

Obama “Protect Whistleblowers” view should aid bill passage, encourage reporting of wrongdoing

Posted on Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Obama-Biden transition website says: “Protect Whistleblowers: Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out…. We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance.” This is a critical area for the new administration to make good on its promise.

We need a strong Obama appointee to head NOAA, a key agency on climate change

Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration should play a significant role in the Obama administration as a key agency on climate change and oceans – with freedom of scientific expression ensured. We told Andrew Freedman of the Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang blog (“Where Will Obama Lead NOAA?”): “We can expect to see a much-improved situation with climate change communication now that we will have an administration that is not intent on avoiding the problem. But in undoing the damage, they need to get the agency really actively engaged with society in dealing with the impacts of climate change.”

Congratulations to independent media host Amy Goodman, recipient of the “Right Livelihood Award”

Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Independent media advocate, broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, and author Amy Goodman joined three other women from around the world yesterday in Stockholm, Sweden to receive the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” given for personal courage and social transformation.

Western water shortages: “Clearly, we’re on a collision course between supply and demand.”

Posted on Monday, December 08, 2008

What will a new Secretary of the Interior under President Obama need to do to manage the collision between burgeoning population in the US West and a water supply shrinking from a combination of prolonged drought, reduced water flows, and higher temperatures causing faster evaporation rates?

“The Climate Crisis and the Adaptation Myth”— a must read for Obama’s climate change advisors

Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008

A new “working paper” issued by Yale University— ”The Climate Crisis and the Adaptation Myth” (.pdf)-- claims the US is in a poor state of preparedness for climate change impacts. “Private and public sector organizations face significant obstacles to adaptation” says author Robert Repetto, a Sr. Fellow of the United Nations Foundation and former Yale professor. In addition to inherent scientific uncertainties slowing response, a variety of human and institutional barriers stand in the way of adaptation measures: long lead-times for rule changes; ideological resistance; a preoccupation with the near-term; false perceptions that climate impacts either won’t be too painful or are off in the distant future; business-as-usual assumptions; and lack of national leadership. Repetto warns: “To say that the United States can adapt to climate change does not imply that the United States will adapt.

Note to Obama economic team: New infrastructure must withstand climate disruption

Posted on Monday, December 01, 2008

President-elect Obama has tasked his new economic team with designing an ambitious job-creation initiative focused primarily on infrastructure improvements. From now on, the design and siting of bridges, roads, and public buildings will need to take into account climate change impacts, lest we worsen our vulnerability to sea level rise, fiercer storms, droughts, floods, and the like. The savvy team recruited for this project is likely aware of this, but may quickly discover how poorly we are set up to apply climate science to practical problem-solving. It’s time for that to change, too.

What will the Obama transition do about Centers for Disease Control director Julie Gerberding?

Posted on Sunday, November 30, 2008

A Washington Post report on November 27 suggested that it’s unlikely the Obama administration will keep CDC Director Julie Gerberding in place. We showed in October 2007 how her Senate testimony on climate change and public health had been censored by the White House. At that time she was a good Bush-Cheney team player in trying to sweep the problem under the rug – like too many senior officials during the past 8 years.

Happy Buy Nothing Day!

Posted on Friday, November 28, 2008

For those of us in the US who are fortunate enough, the day after Thanksgiving usually means three things: turkey sandwiches, football on TV, and shopping. As many of us kick off the winter holiday season this “Black Friday” by heading to the malls and discount outlets, a creative campaign by Adbusters is selling us on doing just the opposite. “Buy Nothing Day” is being celebrated in North American towns and cities today, and tomorrow (Saturday Nov. 29) internationally. What does this have to do with climate change? We’re glad you asked.

The “Fallen Legion”—Whistleblower thanksgiving

Posted on Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving to all. A “recommended diary” posted November 26 on the DailyKos website thanks a long list of “public servants who were fired or resigned in protest to the Bush/Cheney/Rove administration.”

Nonviolent climate action group was labeled terrorist by Maryland State Police spies

Posted on Sunday, November 23, 2008

Maryland State Police labeled members of the grassroots Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) group as terrorists and extremists after they held a nonviolent protest of then-Gov. Robert Ehrlich’s climate change policy. This kind of authoritarian wrongdoing has been fostered by the mentality and actions of US government leaders in recent years and must be eradicated. We know CCAN director and book author Mike Tidwell and have talked with him several times on his radio and TV public affairs programs.

Henry Waxman, champion of science integrity on climate, to chair House Energy & Commerce Committee

Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) has unseated Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) as chair of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. We testified before Rep. Waxman in January 2007 when, as the new chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, he devoted the committee’s first hearing of the year to the problem of political interference with federal climate scientists. In addition to his work on climate change and many other issues, under his chairmanship the committee advanced the most significant whistleblower rights legislation in U.S. history. See Details for our earlier posts relating to Mr. Waxman.

Obama on climate change action: Delay no longer an option, denial no longer an acceptable response

Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2008

"Few challenges facing America and the world are more urgent than combating climate change,” President-elect Obama told the Bi-Partisan Governors Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, California on November 18. “Now is the time to confront this challenge once and for all. Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response.”

CA Gov. Schwarzenegger to hold global climate summit: How will it mesh with Obama’s climate agenda?

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2008

This week California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be hosting at least four governors and government officials from China, India, Australia, Mexico, Canada and several other countries at a “Global Climate Summit” in Beverly Hills. Will the outcome of this summit be helpful to President-elect Obama’s new climate change negotiating team (still to be named) moving forward to the December 2009 climate treaty talks in Copenhagen? Will Obama send a transition team representative to monitor the proceedings?

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