Gore Urges Scientists to Be More Active
Posted on: Friday, 15 December 2006, 11:25 CST
SAN FRANCISCO -- Former Vice President Al Gore said Thursday there was a "temptation" to suppress scientific findings that don't agree with policy and urged scientists to take a more active role in communicating research with the public.
Without specifically naming the Bush administration, Gore lamented at a gathering of earth and space scientists that policymakers used to take science into account in their decision-making, but not anymore.
"Earth science has been singled out" and ignored by government, particularly work dealing with climate change, he said during an hour-long speech during the American Geophysical Union meeting.
"There is a greater temptation to ignore inconvenient truths, to set aside knowledge that might challenge a prevailing policy," said Gore, who was greeted with a standing ovation.
Gore cited a recent article by The Associated Press, which reported that new rules at the U.S. Geological Survey required the screening of scientific papers or prepared talks by agency scientists.
Earlier this year, prominent NASA climate scientist James Hansen accused the Bush administration of trying to silence him after a speech he gave on global warming. Two federal agencies last month launched an investigation into whether the administration tried to prevent government scientists from speaking freely about climate change.
Some scientists and climate models are predicting that unchecked human-caused global warming over the next century is expected to raise sea levels and cause extremes in temperatures.
Gore, who stars in the global warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," urged scientists to educate the public about what he calls the "climate crisis" and to summon the courage to fight back when "important truths are being ignored, resisted or censored."
Gore did not take questions from scientists or reporters.
Gore, who lost his 2000 White House bid to President Bush, recently stepped back into the spotlight, crisscrossing the country to promote his book and movie and fueling speculation of another run in 2008. Gore has said he has not completely ruled it out.
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On the Net:
American Geophysical Union: http://www.agu.org
Source: By ALICIA CHANG/AP
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User Comments (78)
| 78. |
Posted by slick on 12/15/2006, 17:52 Gore is such an idiot. |
| 77. |
Posted by Bill B on 12/15/2006, 17:15 John, Some of us "tardos" that don't agree with Al Gore's viewpoint have seen his "movie". Furthermore some of us "tardos" have meteorology undergraduate and physics masters degrees. The article starts with, "Gore lamented at a gathering of earth and space scientists that policymakers used to take science into account in their decision-making, but not anymore." And ends with: "Gore did not take questions from scientists or reporters." Wonder why? Don't you think it's possible that most of the AGU conference atendees would absolutley destroy him in any discussion about the topic? |
| 76. |
Posted by Guillermo on 12/15/2006, 16:52 YOU are the problem. You must give up living the way you do and return to the simple life of hunter-gatherer or subsistence farming. Only a pre-industrial civilization will lower greenhouse gas creation enough to save the planet! |
| 75. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 16:17 Now wait just a minute Boris! I asked John for his help. Quit trying to silence the help. John was just telling me we need more cows, and something about him heading off into outer space. I\'m reminded of Alec Baldwin\'s promises for some reason... but I digress... anyway I\'m looking for quick solutions to get this planet warming up again. I\'m worried that none of the suggestions so far however are gonna work until... oh... the June/July timeframe |
| 74. |
Posted by Boris on 12/15/2006, 16:09 "Sea levels are a mute point." John, points can be moot. You should be mute. |
| 73. |
Posted by ManBearPig on 12/15/2006, 16:08 Mean man say Cow Poots my Daddy. ManBearPig's feelings hurt. |
| 72. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 16:02 John I\'m not following you. Are you saying we need more cows? Will that at last hurry up matters. If that\'s true, bless you! |
| 71. |
Posted by Forest Gore (Al Gump on 12/15/2006, 15:59 The weather is like a box of chocolates. |
| 70. |
Posted by john on 12/15/2006, 15:56 have any of you tardos seen his movie? some of you are trash talking and you can tell have not watched the movie. if any one of you claim this global warming to be false your an idiot. If any one of you claim global warming to be undeniably true....your an idiot. nobody knows for certain. the only thing that is certain is your all idiots arguing about something that nobody knows what will happen. Its obvious we are using the earths resources faster than they can be replenished. Sure cows are responsible for more c02 than we produce but, why do you think we have so many cows? To feed our fat ass mouths ofcourse, so you cannot differentiate the two. We obviously have to use less as a species and come up with alternative technology or we will run out of resources eventually. That being said, that is why we are starting to expand into space. Stephen hawking said it best, we need to expand into space if we will survive as a species. Sea levels are a mute point. |
| 69. |
Posted by carl g on 12/15/2006, 15:56 I encourage everybody to read Sen. Inhofe's committee findings on this subject matter. Although his statements must be taken with a grain of salt, as it seems that he is overeager to knock man-made global warming down, almost all of his statements are correct: there is NO proof of human-made global warming and there never will be (statistical theory does not provide for proof in systems like this). One can correlate atmospheric CO2 and other variables with temperature and create a model (which is what these scientists do), but unfortunately none of them have been able to predict anything worth a **** (i.e. in a few years, they are already completely wrong). Solution? Tweak the variables and make another model, and hope nobody notices that you are continuously failing to predict anything accurately. This is what is going on. |
| 68. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 15:36 Terry, Dan's right. Science Magazine and the author of that piece you cite, Naomi Oreskes, have their own agendas. Science Magazine is right up their with People Magazine as a populist forum for all sorts of wacky gossip. But getting back to wishful thinking, and I sure wish we could warm up this planet today (Brrrrr) someone out there please tell me what I can do on my part to expedite greenhouse gases or volcanic eruptions or whatever it takes to bring us a little relief this winter. I want the tundra open to farming, I want sea levels to rise, I want some of our overfarmed lands to dry up so they return to an unused pristine beauty. My question is how can we get there without having to wait 100 years? |
| 67. |
Posted by Dan on 12/15/2006, 15:31 The IPCC [the source of Terry's link] is funded by the UN. Of course they are going to have a pro-global warming view. That would support the UN's establishment of Kyoto. Seems politically biased to me. Especially since there are scientists within the IPCC that dispute the report. |
| 66. |
Posted by Wondering Aloud on 12/15/2006, 15:25 Absolutely hilarious, yet absolutely right, we should be more outspoken in this regard so here it is Al. AGW (Human caused global warming due to carbon dioxide emissions) is not real convincing and is directly contradicted by the fossil ( paleo) record. People who try to get us to spend hundreds of billions to fix a possible problem that they don't understand are the type of people who will rip you off in other ways too. The astronomers have a totally different theory on climate change, difference is theirs fits the observed facts. Last but not least if you program a computer model so that carbon dioxide increases temperature. and then run the model increasing carbon dioxide....surprise ... temperature increases. Fancy old name for this GIGO. Hanson is right about this but its the skeptics and the data driven scientists who are being repressed. How's that Al? Is that what you wanted? |
| 65. |
Posted by Dan on 12/15/2006, 15:12 Terry - read this. http://epw.senate.gov/speechitem.cfm?party=rep&id=263759 This disputes your link very well. The warming in the last 50 years?? In the 70's, Time, Newsweek & The New York Times wanted us to believe we were headed for an Ice Age. What ever happened to that? The warming is a natural cyclical pattern of the Earth coming out of The Little Ice Age [from approximately 1600 to 1850]. It was actually warmer in the Medieval Warming Period than it is now. Combined with the increased output from the Sun. There are too many unknown variables in weather. Can your weatherman even get the weather right for tomorrow? So you're going to believe this? Your IQ is certainly below 100, read what we should do. |
| 64. |
Posted by Tyron on 12/15/2006, 14:51 I am just glad he was not elected, man would we be in trouble now, almost as bad a Carter |
| 63. |
Posted by Terry on 12/15/2006, 14:48 Here's what actual scientists say about climate change: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686 Happy reading! |
| 62. |
Posted by KGB on 12/15/2006, 14:46 Bruce, you're brilliant! My Mom is dead, God rest her soul. Go f yourself. |
| 61. |
Posted by Mike_in_Atlanta on 12/15/2006, 14:43 I wish someone would force Algore to tell the "Inconvenent Truth" that CO2 is not the largest contributor to planetary warming! Water Vapor contributes 95% of any atmospheric warming! CO2 is only 3% and nature produces 30 times the CO2 of all of mankind! |
| 60. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 14:30 Hope I don't have AIDS |
| 59. |
Posted by Dan on 12/15/2006, 14:28 Wrong link on my last post. http://epw.senate.gov/speechitem.cfm?party=rep&id=263759 Hope my IQ is greater than 100. |
| 58. |
Posted by Bruce on 12/15/2006, 14:18 "I'm truly glad that I don't know you" You don't but your momma and me are real close. |
| 57. |
Posted by TJ on 12/15/2006, 14:12 Great! Now we have activist politicians with a coffee shop views of science telling scientists to be more like activists. Makes one wonder why people even listen to Gore. |
| 56. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 14:08 This is an AP article, so consider the source, but I particularly like Alicia Chang's careful wording. She wrote: "There is a greater temptation to ignore inconvenient truths, to set aside knowledge that might challenge a prevailing policy," said Gore, who was greeted with a standing ovation." The implication is that the AUG applauded her preceding statement. But more likely the series of events were: 1) Gore Arrived. 2) He was greeted with a standing ovation. 3) He spoke. and then 4) He left before anyone present could ask him to support his statements. |
| 55. |
Posted by Dan on 12/15/2006, 14:07 Best way to fix global warming: Since the average IQ of people is only 100, kill everyone below 100. This would also take care of our Al Gore problem. Less people using resources = great for environment. While we're at it, lets gather up everyone with AIDs and move them to a remote island. Now we've cured AIDs too. All in one minute. For those too lazy to educate yourselves, I'll help you out. Global Warming Myth http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13596798/ Where is the Medieval Warming Period in Gore's hockey stick? We're at about the same warmth now as then [around 1000 AD]. Not to mention all of the weather comparisons of the last 150 years come directly after the Little Ice Age. Of course it's going to be warmer now! |
| 54. |
Posted by Victor A. Wagner Jr. on 12/15/2006, 14:01 "Didn't take questions" Of course not, if you take questions, you need to have answers. |
| 53. |
Posted by KGB on 12/15/2006, 13:59 Bruce, you are a barb throwing, nonsense spouting, Gore loving fool. You berate Ken for the "science" he speaks of while you cite the Associated Press for a feel good article about your hero. Your hero Gore gets an annual kickback from a company using some of his land in Tenn. and they have been fined numerous times for illegal dumping. The "science" you seek includes the inarguable fact of the Midevil Warm period. Your hockey stick needs revision. Check your facts. Facts, not drivel from the enemedia. I'm truly glad that I don't know you. |
| 52. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 13:57 That\'s not to say I want the government forcing others to reduce the air in their tires. I believe if some want to reduce their carbon footprint they should be allowed to. And the rest of us should mind our own business. |
| 51. |
Posted by Chris McLaughlin on 12/15/2006, 13:51 I'm all in favor of sea levels rising. What can I do to increase my carbon footprint? Besides let some air out of the tires on my Prius |
| 50. |
Posted by Tom Buffer on 12/15/2006, 13:50 Gore is a hypocrite. He tells the world of the dangers of global warming yet continues to fly around in a private jet and needlessly harms the environment. He should practice what he preaches and is no exception to the pollution cause. He needs to fly commercial. |
| 49. |
Posted by alan k on 12/15/2006, 13:48 embarrassedamerican. Don't be embarrased do some resarch. You'll be suprised that Ignorance can be cured. When you get to the point that you can understand the SCIENCE and not listen to algores secular religon doomsday theorum, You will have one less thing to worry about. The next question you will have will be. Why does he lie (algore). Breack the shackles educate yourself |
| 48. |
Posted by Kirbysfriend on 12/15/2006, 13:36 I'll take a clean, healthy environment with plenty of resources for our future needs over capitalism any day of the week. |
| 47. |
Posted by Mike R. on 12/15/2006, 13:32 Al Gore is a hack. Where is the science? I don\'t see pictures or charts on any of these \"news\" stories. Follow the money. This \"global warming\" is about government control and more tax dollars being wasted on bogus research. |
| 46. |
Posted by Bruce on 12/15/2006, 13:32 \"jet-setting around the country in a private jet\" No more lies - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13596798/ |
| 45. |
Posted by Kirbysfriend on 12/15/2006, 13:31 Most of you people must be on drugs. There are arguments on both sides as to whether or not global warming is increased significantly by human activity. I happen to think it seems obvious and i wish i could do more to leave less of a carbon footprint. You're welcome to your opnions but one thing is a fact: WE MUST TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR PLANET AND USE OUR RESOURCES MORE WISELY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE IN WARMING FOR THAT. YOU JUST HAVE TO DESIRE A CLEANER, HEALTHER, POLLUTION FREE ENVIRONMENT. If you don't want that then you're a waste of space. |
| 44. |
Posted by Bee Zeeb on 12/15/2006, 13:30 It's obvious that most of the Anthrobot Machine-people in the CITIES are clueless when it comes to realizing what is really going on in the OUTLANDS and polar regions... Our species has a supernatural ability to ignore the obvious, if it allows us to be entertained or well-fed & comfortable. At this evolutionary bottleneck, however, ignorance will be your greatest obstacle to SURVIVAL. Consider the gross amount of MILLIONS of barrels of oil being burned every day, the unceasing exhaust of huge jetliners in the upper atmosphere, even the massive shuttle burns (did you see the night-gases?) thru the ionosphere... We are the Humen Meltdown event! Ride a Bike, it's the Ticket to Your Sanity xOx Bee Zee GalaxyGarden.org |
| 43. |
Posted by kokopeli on 12/15/2006, 13:30 Sure nice to see a propensity of clear thinking in response to the one sided pseudo-disaster promoted by those who really dislike capitalism. (that really is the issue here, disguised as caring for the planet). |
| 42. |
Posted by Al Franken on 12/15/2006, 13:30 Since my radio network went BANKRUPT, I have so much free time! ALGORE and I have been jet-setting around the country in a private jet burning THOUSANDS of GALLONS of JET FUEL so the LITTLE PEOPLE know the horrors of global warming!! Our motto..."DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO" |
| 41. |
Posted by Bruce on 12/15/2006, 13:29 "nope no correlation whatsoever AL!" Straw man alert - No science is denying correlation, the issue is dominant forcing is quite plainly atmospheric CO2. The sceptics are not credible. |
| 40. |
Posted by lara on 12/15/2006, 13:27 Astronomers studing the outer planets have observed demonstrable climate change (plannetary warming) in both Nepture and Uranus. Oddly, they did not find many humans or cars on these planets. Their findings are hard to publish since they seem to point to the sun as the culprit but it hasn't signed the Kyoto treaty either. Also interesting is that we KNOW that the planet was warmer in the past ( much warmer millions of years ago where palm trees grew in the polar regions ). The middle ages held warmer temps than today and I don't think they had hummers back then (I will check). |
| 39. |
Posted by Bruce on 12/15/2006, 13:25 Ken: "He ignores REAL science" - what real science is that? |
| 38. |
Posted by Mike on 12/15/2006, 13:25 Hmmm, volcanoes popping off everywhere, each one giving off more CO2 than MILLIONS of cars, the sun is increasing it's output to the point where it was just reclassified to a variable output star....nope no correlation whatsoever AL! |
| 37. |
Posted by Manbearpig on 12/15/2006, 13:22 Me Manbearpig - half man, half bear, half pig. Algore my best friend. |
| 36. |
Posted by EmbarassedAmerican on 12/15/2006, 13:21 I cannot believe that Americans are so dumb that they don't believe that the world is warming at a rate unseen in history... and that they don't think that pollution is the biggest cause of this. These are the same people that believed that Iraq was responsible for 9/11 and that will request for government help when their homes get flooded in 20 years because of rising water-levels... Take action now to help your kids in the future! Brighten up People and stop being so ignorant about the world around you. |
| 35. |
Posted by Ken on 12/15/2006, 13:20 Al Gore is contributing to global warming with all his hot air on the subject. He is nothing but a politician, and not a very good one either. He ignores REAL science and just selects the science of his political hacks. |
| 34. |
Posted by Stephen Jenkins on 12/15/2006, 13:20 This from a guy and his wife who told you back in the 80,s that if you pla*** certain records backwards you would hear satanic messages.He had kids throwing records away.He should have lost his credibility back then. |
| 33. |
Posted by Guillermo on 12/15/2006, 13:19 Everyone reading this online article is much richer that the overwhelming mass of humanity. And each of you is a major contributor to global warming if Mr. Gore is right. Will you give up your car, your lawnmower, you diswasher, your refrigerator, your central heating/air conditioning and all of your other energy wasting ways to save the planet? YOU are the problem according to Mr. Gore. Will you do it if Mr. Gore asks you nicely? Or will he have to take them from you by force? Read his book, "Earth in the Balance". If you are a mentally well-balanced person it will give you quite a fright. |
| 32. |
Posted by Bill on 12/15/2006, 13:10 If the Sun is warming Mars more than usual (and so Earth as well), and if the quantity of bovine flatulance is exceeding that of human produced CO2, what is the natural Gore-logic result? Can we increase our survival prospects by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide injected in favorite adult beverages or denying the further planting of trees as they produce CO2 in the absence of light, i.e., night? |
| 31. |
Posted by Bruce on 12/15/2006, 13:03 "science facts" No such thing as a "science fact" - the Theory is closest a science will come to absolute tructh Beno - Build a Sea Wall to protect water level rise: Great idea - instead of acting in a precautionary fashion - spend Trillions for Band Aids (See Stern Report for details) "It is ALGORE that is suppressing the opinions of scientist." Other than poor sentence construction - do you have anything to back that up with? No - just spreading lies on the internets. "Me Manbearpig, an' I'ma'comin' to GITcha!" Nothing like SouthPark to make your point. |
| 30. |
Posted by ManBearPig on 12/15/2006, 13:02 You guys... c'mon! I am SO CEREAL! |
| 29. |
Posted by Dana on 12/15/2006, 12:58 Nice job of raising the level of discourse Brucy. I just love people who think they are smarter than the rest. |
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