US government cuts climate research funding 24 January 05

It seems extraordinary how the US government is going in a different direction to other parts of the world (or the UK at least).

We can argue about how much impact it is actually making in people’s behaviour, but in the UK, global warming seems to be on so many lips. For example, just last night I visited my 70-year old mother and she was keen to discuss the latest developments with global warming. It goes to the heart of life on this planet.

.. and today, the front page of the Independent was devoted to the subject.

http://www.independent.co.uk/

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=603975

Is this not a subject of discussion in the US? I don’t think the political administration in the UK could ignore this issue now!

This happened for one year during the Reagan Administration where the Hawaii station did not montor carbon dioxide.

No matter what anyone assumes to be true or false, cuts in funding for monitoring the climate should not be cut but increased. How will we be able to reduce any uncertainty without a strong focus on monitoring temperatures and carbon dioxide?

Even climate skeptics should want this. This focus will only add to any uncertainties and not help reduce them.

The Sierra Club is doing their best, and is not in the best position to influence on climate change issues but this is totally unacceptable.

I will email our Virginia lobbyist since he works on national matters and see if they cannot lobby on behalf of science since cuts in this area is the most stupid thing I ever heard.

If this does not get us all motivated, then what will?

I really want to focus on prevention which has little to do with the science since it involves measures to reduce energy and change habits. I already know the world is warming and that is good enough for me.

However, I feel the need to study the science more and to impart that information to others. Not the best use of my time as an engineer but I have to go where the need is and we have to continue to monitor the climate and improve our capability for improving the accuracy of the models and to compare computer runs with the actual climate.

I have said before and I will say it again. We all need to work on the USA at some level. I live here so I have a greater responsibility on this.

There should be an international outcry if they let go the monitoring at Hawaii especially. That is a very important station because of its isolated location in the Pacific.

Once again, there is NOTHING in these Bush actions that should come as a surprise to ANYONE. If it is a surprise, welcome back to Earth—how was Alpha Centauri?

The moment Bush was “re-elected” to office, any hope of ANY help from the American government was GONE. We can work at grassroots level with NCOs, concerned private companies (the number of these ARE growing, if slowly), and our own resources (pitiful as they are). But the GOVERNMENT?

It’s over, folks. You can write off the US of A. I know that without our help, efforts to mitigate GW/CC are going to fall flat. But at least the rest of the world (and the Americans willing to face reality) can put up the best fight possible—simply because it’s the right thing to do. I hope we do. But Ma Nature/Mother Earth/Gaia WILL make whatever adjustments are necessary to stay alive. Human existence is NOT a requirement. Too bad The American Empire hasn’t caught on to that….

Vicki, see if you can find the closest Sierra Club in your state, and inform them of what you know. Even if you cannot go to the meetings, an email to them may be useful. This is an effective political organization made up mostly of volunteers. You know much more about GW than many environmentalists do. Trust me.

I have found out that I know more than most anyone in our local chapter and have become a leader by default. At one meeting we had a paid lobbyist for the organization in the state of Virginia who spoke about his experiences with legislators. Our lobbyist who said he sometimes works on national matters did not even know about the Climate Stewardship Act and no one in the room knew how badly this bill was watered down. Now they know. They were not surprised at that.

Later, I did a 5 to 10 minute lecture on energy efficiency and sold 60 compact fluorescent bulbs. I think I can help our state lobbyist on a few matters.

Now, I am surprised about what Mark wrote because even the Bush guys sponsored research into sequestering of coal power plant emissions. It appears that the critics have had major influences for this turn around to occur. Monitoring climate should never be a threat to anyone and if they believe GW is not a problem, then continuing research should validate their beliefs.

No, I think they just want to cut the budget anywhere they can so they can spend it on Iraq. Our debt is growing.

I think that the USA made agreements with other nations about maintaining greenhouse gas inventories and monitoring climate. That may be important to check out. I remember reading that somewhere. Anyone else know more about this?

So, there are people out there who will fight for us if they had someone like us talk to them. When we fail to do that, then we cannot blame others for what happens.

There are so many environmental issues out there and GW is only one of them and it can get lost when competing with other issues. It now needs to be put at the top of the list. As a good friend told me many years ago, bad things happen when good people do nothing.

For a history of the perpetual struggle to fund the vital work of the Mauna Loa station, see http://www.aip.org/history/climate/Kfunds.htm

I’ve researched the history of the huge difficulties of funding the Mauna Loa station through the Reagan administration, see the case study at

http://www.aip.org/history/climate/Kfunds.htm

For a more general history of US government reaction to the discovery of global warming, with particular emphasis on the ups and downns of funding, see

http://www.aip.org/history/climate/Govt.htm

Comments on these essays and on the general structure of the Website would be very welcome!

But end of times sort of thinking may be playing into this obvious dropping out of the scientific community. If God has control, everthing is his will. Bush and fellow believers will only reach heaven when ‘end of times’ comes about. Or in other words. George Bush, “What, me worry”!

well, a place a lot hotter than a globally warmed world.

I think they’re all itching to meet the Devil face-to-face, to find out if they were really as bad as they possibly could be.

do not know about GW, or if they have some vague idea, they are not at all aware that they are causing it & need to take action. One well educated, sweet person I talked to knew about it, but honestly thought it had been disproven, based on her TV viewing. Then others I talk to or email are totally opposed to thinking that GW is real. No matter what you say, they disagree. Then there are others who ridicule me for even bringing it up. Some who know that the U.S. per capita is the worst GH contributer (even some highly religious persons), are even more adament that they are not causing GW and harming people. Some think that any mention of evironmental problems detracts from the worst problem of abortion.

And one student of mine who expressed interest when I told the class about the Venus effect (runaway global warming), told me he was simply interested in world cataclysms (the way some people like sci fi films), not in doing anything about it.

In 1995 I did a study based on the General Social Survey. Most who thought GW was dangerous, confused it with the ozone hole.

I hardly ever see anything about GW on the TV or in newspapers, and when it appears it is often in the pro-con format. No one I know around town ever ever brings up the topic, except me. And people rapidly tire of hearing me talk about it.

From my perspective, the situation in the U.S. is very very dire re GW knowledge & concern. The only thing that counts here is next quarter’s profits or Saturday night’s date. Or for the religious, getting public schools to celebrate Easter, while lambasting schools for holding Earth Days (which they claim is tantamount to worshiping the Earth).

I just keep on doing what I can in such a dense forest of ignorance & apathy & self-righteousness.

Forgive the pun but what you wrote made me laugh! Thanks!

Is there a Sierra Club chapter close by?

You could benefit being around others who would share your concern and who would appreciate what you would have to share with them.

It’s a bit dramatic, but how do you deal with craziness?

Dear __:

I have just heard 2 disturbing pieces of news:

(1) that the U.S. is cutting climate change research funding, in particular the Climate Reference Network, and drastically reducing funds for atmospheric CO2 monitoring stations, including the world’s most famous one at Mauna Loa, Hawaii.

And (2) that climate change catastrophe may be reached in less than 10 years, the point of no return, runaway global warming, spelling out severe drought, agricultural failure, and water shortages. I know this is real; I’ve been reading the science journals on this, and science is very conservative, requiring high standards of proof, while people & policy makers could be working to prevent problems with much lower levels of proof – even below “preponderance of evidence” standard.

Please work to reverse these cuts, or at least tell me the reason we are discontinuing research is because we plan to totally destroy all the evidence of global warming by drastically reducing our greenhouse emissions by more than 75% (which is possible, without lowering productivity or living standards). Because I agree we really do not need more evidence. We have plenty, and should have started as a nation seriously addressing this issue back in 1990, even before reaching 95% certainty in 1995. That’s what I did, and reduced my greenhouse gases by 75%, and we are living at a higher living standard AND laughing all the way to the bank with our savings! I expect to hear from you that next month we are starting on our national, government-led and inspired program in the U.S. to reduce our greenhouse gases by 75% over the next 8 years (which is more than feasible). If you refuse to fund climate change science, then at least every penny of it and more should go into reducing greenhouse gases.

I will be praying for an end to global warming continuously from now on, and for the souls of those who thwart action to reduce it. It would really be sad not only to see massive eco-genocide from global warming, but massive souls thrust into a place much hotter than a globally warmed world. Of course, our government representatives and leaders stand at a much higher level of culpability on this than others.

It’s hard for me to comprehend why anyone would want to continue full speed ahead in destroying the earth. Is there no one in our society left who cares about their progeny and immortal soul?

I like the sincere religious overtones since many reps claim they are religious. I think your letter will gain attention. If a letter like that crossed my desk, it would arouse my curiosity. Good Luck!

Thanks for sharing. I believe your involvement will make a difference. Our Sierra Club lobbyist said writing letters make a difference.

He also said that a letter to the Editor of a local newspapers make a difference since many reps read those newspaper sections as an indication of what is important to voters.

He said politicians are only concerned about 2 things, money and votes. Votes are what keep them in power and they will do things we want in return for the votes.

Nicely-worded, Lynn.

What happens in reps offices here is that someone reads the letters (rarely the rep herself) and notes the main points. What count as the main points may not be what you think are the main points. If the letter is critical, your zipcode may be the main point!

What I do is to write in brief paragraphs, keeping one idea/message per paragraph so that it is easier for the reader to keep a tally. I always try to bring in a local reference, too.

Don’t spend too much time crafting the precise wording; your time may be better spent writing one more OK letter to another senator that one fewer clever letter to your senators.

Another thing to do is to ring your rep’s office. Since Karl Rove came on the scene in the US his tactics have been picked up in the UK and here in Australia. With voter databases in their offices, politicians keep track of what their voters are thinking. It is not unusual for a rep’s office to be able to read, real time, from a database in a way that is designed to lead you to believe they remember you. The main points from past letters and phone calls will be up on the screen as they talk to you. Sneaky stuff!

Let us know, Lynn, what the politicians say in their replies to you.

I know how you feel about the US. I lived there for 5 months last year. My one hope is that, at some point, the south will get climate change. They, at least, have the social structures in place to do something about it. Keep plugging away

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At: http://www.angelfire.com/crazy/spaceman/ Your jaw will drop!

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