10,000 U.S SCIENTISTS REJECT INTERFERENCE

[Anonymous]

US scientists reject interference
Some
10,000 US researchers have signed a statement protesting about
political interference in the scientific process.The statement, which
includes the backing of 52 Nobel Laureates, demands a restoration of
scientific integrity in government policy.According to the American
Union of Concerned Scientists, data is being misrepresented for
political reasons.It claims scientists working for federal agencies
have been asked to change data to fit policy initiatives.The Union has
released an “A to Z” guide that it says documents dozens of recent
allegations involving censorship and political interference in federal
science, covering issues ranging from global warming to sex
education.Campaigners say that in recent years the White House has been
able to censor the work of agencies like the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Food and Drug Administration because a Republican
congress has been loath to stand up for scientific integrity.”It’s very
difficult to make good public policy without good science, and it’s
even harder to make good public policy with bad science,” said Dr Peter
Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development,
Environment and Security.”In the last several years, we’ve seen an
increase in both the misuse of science and I would say an increase of
bad science in a number of very important issues; for example, in
global climate change, international peace and security, and water
resources.”The statement was released at the American Geophysical
Union’s Fall Meeting. It is an annual gathering of Earth
scientists.Last year, it triggered a major row when a discussion here
resulted in the renowned US space agency climate scientist Dr James
Hansen later claiming he had come under pressure not to talk to the
media on global warming issues.Michael Halpern from the UCS said the
statement of objection to political interference had been supported by
researchers regardless of their political views.”This science statement
that has now been signed by the 10,000 scientists is signed by science
advisers to both Republican and Democratic administrations dating back
to President Eisenhower, stating that this is not business as usual and
calling for this practice to stop,” he told BBC News.The Union said is
was hopeful that the new Congress taking office in January would show a
greater commitment to protecting the integrity of the scientific
process.

[Author]

December 18, 2006 at 2:41 PM