Oz academy dust-up

Hot on the heels of the news that fellows of the Royal Society are arguing over their public position on climate change comes a report that the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering is engaged in a similar battle over how their views should be represented to the public.

A two-page draft [document], posted on a password-protected section of the academy's website, said the academy ''does not believe the science is settled'' regarding climate change.

It said many scientists believed ''climate changes are nothing unusual, based on past geological records''.

An exchange of emails shows the statement has sparked anger and alarm among members. More than 50 of Australia's top agricultural and environmental scientists are among those objecting to the statement. A letter signed by 12 climate scientists has also been circulated to members.

An alternative policy statement, drafted by academy member and Melbourne World Climate Research program director Professor Ann Henderson-Sellers, has been emailed to members.

Comments

[Garry]

It's easy to predict what this "alternative policy statement" might say, given this 2008 article by Ann Henderson-Sellers:

The IPCC report: what the lead authors really think
Sep 17, 2008
http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/opinion/35820

"There is no longer any question about "whether" human activities are changing the climate; instead research must tackle the urgent questions of: "how fast?"; "with what impacts?'; and "what responses are needed?" Climate change researchers cannot hide behind the need to improve models and observations any longer. Answers are now being demanded faster than, and at higher resolutions than, research can deliver."

[emckeng]

The question is, surely: why do these institutions think that they need to make a position statement on climate change? Their primary duty is to represent their members not to adopt political positions. Looks like typical functionaries' over-stepping of the mark.