Why is government blocking studies on impact of rising greenhouse gas?

Question

Nobel scientists deliver stinging criticism of federal government:

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=fc976a67-2f9a-424c-a98d-704785dde80c&k=91227

This report seems just the opposite of what the AGW doubters keep claiming about research funding.

Answer 1

Because they are spending record amounts in other areas like Technology to reduce actual green house gasses.

Answer 2

Yes oil runs this world, can you not tell by the power struggle in the middle east? Most governments have shares in oil.

Yea spend more on terrorism what was this years figure something to the tune of 100billion so far spent on iraq, wow can see where all the studies money is going and your economies. Keep it up USA we are loving that your dollar is gradually rising it makes good for importing and exporting.

Answer 3

It's not. How about private enterprise stepping up and taking it on?

And as the Nobel prizes are pretty much popularity contests, can you really trust them?

Answer 4

The story is not as black and white as the journalist portrayed it. On the way to the lab this morning the CBC commentator was discussing the results of a recent poll that places GW as the  #1 political issue in Canada.  This is not good news for a minority government with a power base in oil-rich Alberta. Unlike the US, Canada can have an election anytime if the government loses a critical vote in parliament.  Scientific research often takes years.  The Harper government can't do much about the evidence in front of the public today for the next election, but they can try and alter the agenda for the following election.

A colleague forwarded a call for proposals on Friday (Feb 1) pertaining to a grant program for GW remediation strategies.  The grant is linked to commercialization of remediation technologies and pays 30% of research costs.  Oil companies are explicitly invited to apply and I think that they will have an easier time raising the matching 70% than others.  This is a positive sign, but the government should support basic research too.

Answer 5

I think this sums it up well:

"I can only put it down as one of two things," said Dr. Andrew Weaver, a climatologist from the University of Victoria's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences. "It's vindictive, because the climate science community has been quite outspoken about the need for dealing with global warming, or stupidity, and not really knowing what's going on out there, because they don't consult the (environment) ministry."

Sounds like the conservative Harper is following the Bush Administration's strategy, though Bush didn't block studies, he simply censored them.  If he'd blocked them, censorship wouldn't have been necessary, but of course you see the results of blocking research in this article.  Maybe the Bush Admin thought they could get away with censoring the reports without anybody noticing or something.

Regardless, the politically conservative approach appears to be preventing the public from having access to the science.  Unfortunately for Harper, it's a bit late for that strategy to work!  I find it amusing that Dr. T thinks that scientific studies being blocked is a 'feel good story'.  That speaks volumes of the denialist movement and their disregard for science.

Also to be fair, there are conservatives like Sarkozy who have acknowledged the problem and are dealing with it.

Answer 6

The beginnings of the death knell for global warming, may it rest in piece. This is one of those feel-good stories like those stories they run of kittens being saved by firemen or dogs that find their way home from thousands of miles away. Gives you a good feeling all over. Thanks, Ken, I needed that.

Answer 7

Where have you been?   Have we not been saying global warming is big business?  Well here is the proof.  He is getting my vote.  Well done!!!!

Answer 8

because their pockets are filled with money from BIG OIL!