Climate change is a subject of constant debate by the American public and policymakers. While scientists at the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have consistently pointed to humans as a cause for a rise in global temperatures in the last few decades, the public has still expressed doubt. Recent events again brought the issue to the forefront, including the release of e-mails hacked from a server at a British university that suggested scientists conspired to suppress data that did not agree with climate change; questions about research added to IPCC reports, such as a notation about shrinking Himalayan glaciers that was found to lack scientific backing; and the Snowpocalypse in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The snow-in created an opportunity for global-warming skeptics to express their doubts publicly. For instance, Sen. Jim Inofe, R-Okla., created an igloo on the National Mall with the sign “Al Gore’s New Home” to mock Gore’s stance on the subject. All of these situations raise questions about the accuracy of the climate data. In the end, it is scientists who must gain the public’s confidence by ensuring the integrity of the research.
On Thursday, March 4, the Baker Institute will host a panel of climate change scientists from the United Kingdom who will discuss the challenges of communicating their research to the general public. The scientists include Tim Reeder, regional climate change programme manager for the U.K. Environment Agency; Mark Maslin, director of the Environment Institute at the University College of London; and David Vaughan, science leader of the British Antarctic Survey. The event will be co-sponsored by Rice University’s Center of the Study of Environment and Society; its director, André W. Droxler, a professor of earth science, will serve as the moderator.
“The Challenges of Communicating Climate Change” is a joint event between the Baker Institute Science and Technology Program; the U.K. Science and Innovation Team, British Consulate-Houston; and Rice University’s Center for the Study of Environment and Society.
A limited number of seats are open to the public. To attend, please visit the Baker Institute Web site for RSVP and program information. There will also be a live webcast of the event.