NASA Administrator the White House "denier-of-the-day" [2]
At the same time that NASA scientists are reporting that we are at a dangerous and critical [7] global warming tipping point, their top administrator will take to the airwaves tomorrow morning with a very different, if not diametrically opposite message.
According to a NPR press release [8] out today, Michael Griffin, [9] President Bush's appointment to the NASA administrator position, states:
…a trend of global warming exists, I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with.” Griffin continues: “I guess I would ask which human beings - where and when - are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that’s a rather arrogant position for people to take.”
Not only is it hard, if not impossible, to find such a conclusion based on NASA findings, it is absolutely absurd when you consider the latest findings of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. To start, I would suggest that the 75 million to 250 million Africans who will suffer [10] from increased water shortages due to climate change by 2020, might agree that the climate we currently have is just fine.
The timing of this interview and heavy statement by the NASA administrator is even more questionable when one considers the heat the United states is about to take for its expected non-participation in any new climate change commitments at next week's G8 Summit meeting [11].
Today we saw White House Environmental Council on Environmental Quality, James Connaughton on the PR offensive saying that the "US has a different set of [greenhouse gas emission] targets." Tomorrow it will be Bush's top man at NASA playing the denier-of-the-day role. It will be interesting to see who they pull out for the grand finale of this PR spectacle.
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