THE POLITICISATION OF SCIENCE: BACK TO THE 1970'S?

The 1970's seem a world away from 2014, especially for younger people. Those people will not remember that the politics of science then, and especially what was then the new discipline of ecology, was about Global Cooling. One of the leading exponents of the day was one Paul Ehrlich, author of the Malthusian "Population Bomb".

Recent reports from credible German scientists predict a return to global cooling to a point equivalent to the mid nineteenth century.

This analysis seems to be consistent with measured facts. These facts include increasing areas of Antarctic sea ice reported by the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre and NASA. There can be many reasons for this of course, but the fact that Antarctic ice is expanding is an inconvenient truth for those, like the ill-fated Spirit of Mawson expedition led by Professor Turney, who found themselves having to be rescued from previously ice free areas of the Southern Ocean.

Whatever the reason, the scientific community would gain much greater respect and credibility if it stuck to discovering and reporting facts, rather than following a political agenda and hoping that the facts will support it.

In Turneys' case, who boasted about being reported in Times Square NY, the facts on the ground (to be accurate, ice bound ocean), did not support his script. How inconvenient, and scientifically challenging, since climate modelling suggests that ice cover should be shrinking rather than growing.

Climate is infinitely variable, and climate science uncertain.

The costs of Professor Turney's rescue pale into insignificance against the costs of the political agendas supported by uncertain climate science.

Those costs are borne by people who do not have high paying academic or government jobs, and in Australia, are losing their jobs because of the destruction of industries caused by climate "science" driven policy.

Just how disreputable and ignored recent climate science has become, witness the reopening of lignite (brown coal) mines in Germany and elsewhere in Central Europe. These will vastly increase carbon emissions in Europe, and especially given the closure of the German non-carbon emitting nuclear power industry.

Perhaps these emissions will mitigate the suggested period of global cooling being predicted by some German scientists?

David Millhouse is an international entrepreneur with over 30 years in venture capital and private equity internationally. Based in Brisbane, Australia he is a specialist in venture financing and capitalisation, as well as the management of high growth companies, many of which proceed to IPO. He has conducted business in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. A scientist by original profession, with an MBA and LLM from Bond University in Australia. He is a trustee of Bond University, Australia’s premier private University, and was formerly a trustee of the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art. There are 30 years of publications and media on his professional activities and he has had a stellar career at CEO level since 1983.

For personalised solutions to the issues raised in the blog, please contact CORPbuilders TM at www.corpbuilders.com.au or call 0413 748 844