23 December 2009

von Storch in the WSJ

Hans von Storch has a thoughtful essay on climate science and politics in today's WSJ Europe. Here is an excerpt:
As a scientist, I strive for independence from vested interests. I am in the pocket of neither Exxon nor Greenpeace, and for this I come under fire from both sides—the skeptics and the alarmists—who have fiercely opposing views but are otherwise siblings in their methods and contempt.

I am told that I should keep my mouth shut, that criticizing colleagues is not "tactful," and will damage the reputation of science—even when the CRU e-mails have already sunk that ship. I hear that the now-notorious "trick" is normal, that to "hide the decline" is just an unfortunate colloquialism. But we know by now that the activity described by these words was by no means innocent.

Hans has something to say to skeptics, alarmists and politicians who see science as instrumental to their goals. Read the whole thing.