Harvard professor urges scientists to speak up about climate change
The facts, unfortunately, don’t speak for themselves. That’s why scientists have to speak up, according to Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard history of science professor who has taken a close look at the causes and effects of climate change denial. Oreskes, co-author, with Erik Conway, of the 2010 book “Merchants of Doubt,” said that many climate scientists today are loath to speak out on the issue, instead saying that their role ends with gathering and presenting the facts. They worry that being viewed as an advocate or activist will damage scientific credibility. In a talk Wednesday at the Science Center, Oreskes offered historical examples, from Albert Einstein’s advocacy for nuclear arms control to Sherwood Rowland’s clamoring for action to stop the ozone hole, of scientists who called attention to a threat poorly understood by the public without sacrificing their scientific integrity. Climate science, Oreskes said, needs more knowledgeable people explaining potential effects, so that citizens...