Posted on 01/30/2007 10:49:23 AM PST by presidio9
Two private advocacy groups told a congressional hearing Tuesday that climate scientists at seven government agencies say they have been subjected to political pressure aimed at downplaying the threat of global warming.
The groups presented a survey that shows two in five of the 279 climate scientists who responded to a questionnaire complained that some of their scientific papers had been edited in a way that changed their meaning. Nearly half of the 279 said in response to another question that at some point they had been told to delete reference to "global warming" or "climate change" from a report.
The questionnaire was sent by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a private advocacy group. The report also was based on "firsthand experiences" described in interviews with the Government Accountability Project, which helps government whistleblowers, lawmakers were told.
The Democratic chairman of the House panel examining the government's response to climate change said Tuesday there is evidence that senior Bush administration officials sought repeatedly "to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming."
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said he and the top Republican on his oversight committee, Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, have sought documents from the administration on climate policy, but repeatedly been rebuffed.
"The committee isn't trying to obtain state secrets or documents that could affect our immediate national security," said Waxman, opening the hearing. "We are simply seeking answers to whether the White House's political staff is inappropriately censoring impartial government scientists."
"We know that the White House possesses documents that contain evidence of an attempt by senior administration officials to mislead the public by injecting doubt into the science of global warming and minimize the potential danger," Waxman said.
At the same time, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., sought to gauge her colleague's sentiment on climate change. She opened a meeting where senators were to express their views on global warming in advance of a broader set of hearings on the issue.
Among those scheduled to make comments were two presidential hopefuls — Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill. Both lawmakers favor mandatory reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, something opposed by President Bush, who argues such requirements would threaten economic growth.
The intense interest about climate change comes as some 500 climate scientists gather in Paris this week to put the final touches on a United Nations report on how warming, as a result of a growing concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, is likely to affect sea levels.
They agree sea levels will rise, but not on how much. Whatever the report says when it comes out at week's end, it is likely to influence the climate debate in Congress.
At the Waxman hearing, the two advocacy groups said their research — based on the questionnaires, interviews and documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act — revealed "evidence of widespread interference in climate science in federal agencies."
The groups report described largely anonymous claims by scientists that their findings at times at been misrepresented, that they had been pressured to change findings and had been restricted on what they were allowed to say publicly.
The survey involved scientists across the government from NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency to the department's of Agriculture, Energy, Commerce, Defense and Interior. In all the government employees more than 2,000 scientists who spend at least some of their time on climate issues, the report said.
President Bush mentioned global warming in his recent State of the Union speech – the first time he's done that, CBS News correspondent Bob Fuss reports. But Democrats are ready to do something about it.
Boxer has offered the most aggressive bill, one that is touted as reducing these greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by mid-century.
Obama and McCain are sponsoring a bill along with Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, an independent who usually votes Democratic, that would cut emissions by two-thirds by 2050. Another bill, offered by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., would halt the growth of carbon emissions by 2030 and then is expected to lead to reductions.
All three would require mandatory caps on greenhouse gas releases from power plants, cars and other sources. They also would have various forms of an emissions trading system to reduce the economic cost.
Exactly. Yet another example of misdirection by the liberals. The real fear of a "theocracy" comes from the religion of global warming.
Exactly. All the administration is trying to do is inject some balance by rightly pointing out that the science is not yet settled, and in fact new studies may show just the opposite -- changes in the sun's radiation are the overwhelming cause of climate change, not man. But the moonbats will have none of it -- if true it takes away their "blame America first" argument.
Hilarious.
CBS will never stop spewing the party line for the Dems, no matter how low their ratings go.
I don't think that is their plan. I think they want a Watergate redux. Force Cheney to resign based on his alleged invlovement in Libby's perjury. Elect a more acceptable Republican Veep (say Olympia Snow, Lincoln Chafee, or Arlen Specter). And then begin impeachment hearings on W.
or have another non binding symbolic resolution about it
well, yes.
but the other thing that has happend here - total silence from the Republicans, for years, regarding the fantasy of global warming. Imagine how far we've come, the Kyoto treaty didn't even have a single vote in the senate some years ago, to where we are now - the last SOTU speech was essentially a capitulation to the left on this issue, simply by acknowledging it exists and its caused by man and we can really do something about it.
cheeze- I dont think I can take 2 years of this idiocy
AND YOU DUMASS REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS DESERVED TO LOSE FOR ACTING LIKE DEMOCRAPS
somone ask Newt Gingrich how to win an election, willya?
Does this mean that Senator Boxer, henceforth, will be returning to California during congressional recesses via wagon train?
No. Broom, as usual.
Man Tries To Rob Richfield Lunds Dressed As Ninja http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_029182451.html
Anonymous complaints, anonymous or unnamed survey sources, presentation by an advocacy group. Yeah right, I'm gong to take this to the bank...
Shut-up you idiots! Leave it for a boobie-trap for Bin Laddie. Let him solve it after he takes over the world. (Which you seem to be all for by the way.)
Union of Concerned Scientists:
http://www.timeswatch.org/topicindex/U/union_concerned_scientists/welcome.asp
Government Accountability Project:
http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2005/cyb20050609.asp#1
I'd like to know why there are 279 climate scientists on the government payroll.
GAP is yet another IPS spinoff, from the Church Committee era. It emerged from the same network as the Center for National Security Studies (CNSS) associated with Morton Halperin.
Never been too big on unions. I think this is another one we could do without.
I'd like to know why there are 279 climate scientists on the government payroll.
Because it takes that many different preditions for one of them to get it right.
preditions=predictions... or maybe perditions.
the Union of Concerned Scientists, a private advocacy group.
How about -
the Union Soviet Socialists, a Marxist front group.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.