Mum’s the Word on Greenhouse Gas Scientific Data

There seems to be a lot of debate on just how much damage is being done to the world by global warming. Not to mention what the future will hold if we continue to increase our greenhouse gas emissions at the current rates.  

Regardless of your personal opinions on the research out there, I find it interesting that some of the top climate change scientists from around the world are claiming to be censored.  What don't they want us to know?  Why are they gagging only one side of the story? 

Last month it was the U.S. government trying to censor NASA’s top climate change scientist, Dr. James Hansen.  Dr. Hansen said that the Bush administration tried to stop him from speaking out since he gave a lecture in December calling for prompt reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. 

And now the Australians are following suit.  Today, three scientists who worked at the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), say they were pressured to keep their views on climate change to themselves so as to avoid clashing with government policy. The scientists claim they were expressly told NOT to talk about reducing greenhouse gases. 

What are the governments so scared of? Maybe they're scared of the masses being convinced of the scientific data that reveals a significant warming trend in the earth's weather.  Ignoring the impact of climate change is getting difficult: Federal officials are considering declaring the polar bear a threatened species because rising Arctic temperatures are melting the ice pack that's their home.

According to some experts, a tipping point exists where once our greenhouse gas emissions reach a certain value, it could trigger climate changes that would be irreversible. And once our governments finally come around to this realization, it will be too late.  According to European leaders like Tony Blair, we only have 7 years left to make significant reductions in our greenhouse gas emissions. 

Hopefully our governments will wake up fast -- via a not-so-gentle nudge from their constituents.   

by
Erin Swanson
ESwanson@enviance.com