Climategate

Scientists at the University of East Anglia have emerged from the six-month “climategate” inquiry with their reputations for honesty intact. However, many in the public remain skeptical, so the challenge for scientists across the world now is to communicate clearly the realities of climate change to a public that simply wants straight answers.

The Independent Climate Change Email Review in the United Kingdom, led by Sir Muir Russell, a former top civil servant, concluded that “the rigour and honesty” of the UEA scientists “was not in doubt” and that there was no evidence “that might undermine the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments”.

The challenge of clearly and openly communicating climate change to a public understandably alarmed about the associated changes to our world is as real in Australia as it is for people in other countries. Sir Muir has put the challenge for scientists into plain English: “They should learn to communicate their work in ways that the public can access and understand.” 

Continue reading "After climategate, the science still has the same message" »

IF YOUR job involves one of Australia’s major export industries such as mining or manufacturing, then you probably return home to your family content in the knowledge you are being well paid for a hard day’s work.

You help build the profits that keep the shareholders happy and you are making a valuable contribution to your nation’s economy.

But what if you came home from a hot day at the coal face, the aluminium or steel smelter, to kids accusing you of killing off the planet?  That would never happen, right?

Continue reading "This is close to brainwashing kids on climate change" »