Columbia Journalism Review on climate experts
Excellent piece in the CJR about reporting on climate change. They argue that the nature of the story is changing from being a debate about whether it's happening to a debate about the solutions...
The era of “equal time” for skeptics who argue that global warming is just a result of natural variation and not human intervention seems to be largely over—except on talk radio, cable, and local television. Last year, a meteorologist at CBS’s Chicago station did a special report entitled “The Truth about Global Warming.” It featured local scientists discussing the hazards of global warming in one segment, well-known national skeptics in another, and ended with a cop-out: “What is the truth about global warming?…It depends on who you talk to.” Not helpful, and not good reporting.
About time!!! All the major scientific institutions have said for years that we know enough to act. Good to see CJR reinforce this message. CJR also has a list of useful climate change websites for reporters covering the beat.
As the CJR points out, the reporting job's going to get harder not easier. The economic and political complexities are actually less straight forward than the science. Hopefully, reporters won't fall into the same "depends who you talk to" trap with false solutions like nuclear and carbon capture sequestration.
What do we think are the real answers? Check out our blueprint for an energy revolution.
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