[asa] AAAS Honors Climate Scientist James Hansen with Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award

http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2008/0214scientific_freedom.shtml

James Hansen, a government scientist who has spoken forcefully about
human influence on global climate despite pressure to alter his
message, is the recipient of the 2007 AAAS Award for Scientific
Freedom and Responsibility.

Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New
York City, has become a familiar and determined voice in the ongoing
national conversation about climate change. The AAAS award citation
credits Hansen for "his outspoken advocacy on behalf of scientists'
responsibilities to communicate openly and honestly with the public on
matters of importance to their health and welfare."

Hansen is a pioneer in the use of computer models that have helped
document a discernible human influence on global climate due to the
production of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. There has been one
degree Fahrenheit of global warming during the past 30 years, Hansen
says, and another one degree Fahrenheit in the pipeline due to
greenhouse gases already released into the atmosphere. There remains a
large gap in what is known by scientists about global warming, he
argues, and what the public and policy makers need to know about it.

In a memo supporting Hansen's selection, the award committee wrote
that he "has faced pressure, and sometimes outright opposition, from
highly placed individuals in the past four administrations" who have
urged him to alter his message in one direction or another. The memo
adds, "in consistently fighting to keep his scientific opinions free
from political influence and revision, Dr. Hansen has drawn attention
to the broader issue of political interference in scientific
communication, a process that he warns is 'in direct opposition to the
most fundamental precepts of science.' "

One of the fundamental precepts of democracy, Hansen says, is that the
public should be honestly informed about research findings and their
implications for public policy. In a talk last year before the
National Press Club, Hansen said, "I don't think the framers of the
Constitution expected that when a government employee -- a technical
government employee -- reports to Congress, his testimony would have
to be approved and edited by the White House first." That has been the
case under both Republican and Democratic administrations, he said,
although "the problems are worse now than I've seen in my thirty years
in government."

In January 2006, Hansen told The New York Times that the
Administration had tried to muzzle him after he called for prompt
reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases during a talk at a
scientific meeting. He also released data showing that 2005 was
probably the warmest year in at least a century. Hansen said that he
was warned there would be "dire consequences" if such statements
continued. A NASA public affairs officer rejected a request by
National Public Radio to interview Hansen. But he continued to speak
out, and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin issued an agency-wide
statement clarifying that the role of public affairs officers was not
"to alter, filter or adjust engineering or scientific materials
produced by NASA's technical staff."

The Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award is presented annually
by AAAS to honor individual scientists and engineers or organizations
for exemplary actions that help foster scientific freedom and
responsibility. The award recognizes outstanding efforts to protect
the public's health, safety or welfare; to focus public attention on
the potential impacts of science and technology; to establish new
precedents in carrying out social responsibilities; or to defend the
professional freedom of scientists and engineers.

The award was established in 1980 and is approved by the AAAS Board of
Directors. The recipient will receive a $5,000 prize. The award will
be presented along with other AAAS Awardson Saturday, 16 February at
the 2008 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston.

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Received on Thu Feb 14 22:30:57 2008