Scientists (in Copenhagen) urged to step up climate warnings

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2238156/scientists-urged-step-climate

Scientists urged to step up climate warnings

Climate change negotiators urge scientific community to deliver starker warnings in attempt to close communication gap with politicians

James Murray, BusinessGreen, 10 Mar 2009

One of the UK's leading climate change diplomats has today called on the scientific community to paint a more vivid and accessible picture of the threat posed by climate change that his grandmother would be able to understand.

Speaking at the opening of the International Alliance of Research University's (IARU) climate congress in Copenhagen, John Ashton, special envoy for climate change at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, argued that there remained a significant communication gap between the scientific and political community.

"Politicians are not very good at understanding messages from scientists," he warned, adding that some were even guilty of using the "rigour with which scientists communicate" to wilfully play down climate change threats.

Arguing that this communication gap represents an "existential crisis" for the scientific community he urged climate scientists to paint a "more vivid picture" of the potential impact of global warming.

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