From: "Robert J. Berger" <rberger@ibd.com>
Date: December 15, 2006 12:37:59 PM JST
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com>, David Farber=20=20
<dave@farber.net>
Subject: US scientists reject interference
US scientists reject interference
By Jonathan Amos Science reporter, BBC News, San Francisco
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6178213.stm
Some 10,000 US researchers have signed a statement protesting about=20=20
political interference in the scientific process.
The statement, which includes the backing of 52 Nobel Laureates,=20=20
demands a restoration of scientific integrity in government policy.
According to the American Union of Concerned Scientists, data is=20=20
being misrepresented for political reasons.
It claims scientists working for federal agencies have been asked to=20=20
change data to fit policy initiatives.
The Union has released an "A to Z" guide that it says documents=20=20
dozens of recent allegations involving censorship and political=20=20
interference in federal science, covering issues ranging from global=20=20
warming to sex education.
Campaigners say that in recent years the White House has been able to=20=20
censor the work of agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency=20=20
and the Food and Drug Administration because a Republican congress=20=20
has been loath to stand up for scientific integrity.
"It's very difficult to make good public policy without good science,=20=20
and it's even harder to make good public policy with bad science,"=20=20
said Dr Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute for Studies=20=20
in Development, Environment and Security.
"In the last several years, we've seen an increase in both the misuse=20=20
of science and I would say an increase of bad science in a number of=20=20
very important issues; for example, in global climate change,=20=20
international peace and security, and water resources."
The statement was released at the American Geophysical Union's Fall=20=20
Meeting. It is an annual gathering of Earth scientists.
Last year, it triggered a major row when a discussion here resulted=20=20
in the renowned US space agency climate scientist Dr James Hansen=20=20
later claiming he had come under pressure not to talk to the media on=20=20
global warming issues.
Michael Halpern from the UCS said the statement of objection to=20=20
political interference had been supported by researchers regardless=20=20
of their political views.
"This science statement that has now been signed by the 10,000=20=20
scientists is signed by science advisers to both Republican and=20=20
Democratic administrations dating back to President Eisenhower,=20=20
stating that this is not business as usual and calling for this=20=20
practice to stop," he told BBC News.
The Union said is was hopeful that the new Congress taking office in=20=20
January would show a greater commitment to protecting the integrity=20=20
of the scientific process.
=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=96=
=96=96=96=96=96
Robert J. Berger - Internet Bandwidth Development, LLC.
Voice: 408-882-4755 eFax: +1-408-490-2868
http://www.ibd.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jun 09 2009 - 05:00:14 EDT