Fifteen national scientific academies, including the Royal Society, have issued the latest in a long line of doom-laden millenarianist pronouncements.
National science academies from 15 countries issued joint statements today calling on world leaders who are about to meet at the upcoming G8 Summit and other international gatherings this year to give greater consideration to the vital role science and technology could play in addressing some of the planet's most pressing challenges. The "G-Science" statements recommend that governments engage the international research community in developing systematic, innovative solutions to three global dilemmas: how to simultaneously meet water and energy needs; how to build resilience to natural and technological disasters; and how to more accurately gauge countries' greenhouse gas emissions to verify progress toward national goals or international commitments.
As we know, the Royal Society does not consult its fellows before issuing these dramatic statements. No doubt the other academies are the same. We can safely say therefore that these words represent the view of the academies' adminstrators and not their scientists.
The academies traditionally issue one of these statements before major international summit meetings. They normally involve demands for money and/or political action in line with the philosophical views of the academy administrators. Clearly this one is no exception.