'Climategate' had an impact on the credibility of science
This blog also points readers in the direction of other material that may be of interest
The BBC’s Horizon series turns to the integrity of science and why public trust in scientific theories has been eroded. Watch for yourself (UK users only).
The section when ‘climategate’ story breaker James Delingpole is interviewed is interesting and rather exposes the way that political views have infiltrated the media reporting science. James Delingpole has since complained of being ”intellectually raped” on Horizon during the interview with Nobel prize-winner Sir Paul Nurse.
The refusal to acknowledge that climate change is still agreed upon by scientific consensus, and in any other field that would be enough, highlights the entrenched views of sceptics who themselves aren’t entirely honest (Climate sceptic ‘misled Congress over funding from oil industry‘), and political motivation. The Telegraph, the paper that broke the story, is a strictly conservative paper and therefore having views similar to those of republicans in the USA (Why Republicans Deny Climate Change).
It is the public that suffers from this bias reporting that is normally reserved for political opinion and not scientific work.
Science must improve its relationship with the media to become more transparent to gain the confidence of the public and ensure that only facts are published and not interpretations of facts which invariably become muddled.
Related Articles
- The TV interview that tied James Delingpole’s tongue | James Randerson (guardian.co.uk)
- Official inquiries into the ‘Climategate’ scandal ‘unsatisfactory’ (nwoandsecretsocieties.wordpress.com)
- Watch: Denier James Delingpole admits he can’t do science (liberalconspiracy.org)
- ‘I want to be remembered for the science’ says Phil ‘Climategate’ Jones to chorus of titters (blogs.telegraph.co.uk)
- Official inquiries into the ‘Climategate’ scandal ‘unsatisfactory’ (telegraph.co.uk)
Rhys Hook's Environmental Blog 