Are science writers in denial? [View all]

[Viva_La_Revolution]

I almost posted this in GD...

http://itsnotalecture.blogspot.com/2012/10/are-science-writers-in-denial.html

I'm very concerned about recent developments in politics and how they relate to science. A lot of people know about Congressman Todd "legitimate rape" Akin of Missouri. But if you don't follow science and science policy closely, you may not have heard about the issue of sea level rise in North Carolina or the recent comments from Paul Broun, a Congressman from Georgia.

I'm not simply concerned about these developments - I'm concerned that there are no strategies even under consideration to address them.

A few months ago a state government-appointed scientific commission estimated that the sea level in North Carolina would likely rise by 39 inches over the next century. That represents an acceleration over previous years, mostly due to climate change. The estimation is based on sound science, and it's actually a mid point of more and less severe estimates. Unfortunately, it also means that the houses and offices and shops you build right on the beaches of the Outer Banks will likely be underwater in a few decades.

That didn't stop the state's construction industry, however. They got a law passed saying the scientists were wrong, and it was spearheaded by a business owner who says climate change isn't real. So the commission has to go back to the drawing board - probably until they get the numbers to match something the builders like.

more at link