NASA’s chief climate scientist called out for civil disobedience

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NASA’s chief climate scientist called out for civil disobedience

By Timothy Page Mar 16 2009, 09:26 AM

NASA’s chief climate scientist, Dr. James Hansen, is blowing more than hot air about climate change. Some of his colleagues are calling his participation in a global warming protest at the Capitol Power Plant in Washington D.C. on March 2nd inappropriate.

It was the largest public protest of global warming ever in the United States, with more than 2,500 former coal miners, ministers, mothers, students, and climate activists, representing over 40 states, gathering to block all five entrances to the Capitol Power Plant for nearly four hours. On the website capitolclimateaction.org, which posted videos of the protest, Dr. Hansen can be spotted on the front lines and speaking to the crowd.

Critics say Hansen’s participation blurs the line between astronomer and activist and may violate the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from participating in partisan political activity.

“I think it’s time that we take a stand on global warming,” Hansen said in a video posted weeks before the protest. “We need to send a message to Congress and the president that we want them to take the actions that are needed to preserve the climate for young people and future generations and all life on the planet.”

The Hatch Act restricts the political activity of executive branch employees of the federal government, the District of Columbia government, and some state and local employees who work in connection with federally funded programs. The majority of federal employees are allowed to take part in political activities, while workers at other departments like the FBI, CIA, Secret Service and National Security Council are subject to more restrictions on their political activities, according to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

Hatch Unit attorney Erica Stern Hamrick disagreed with the claims and stated that Hansen is in the clear since the protest was an “issue-oriented activity” that didn’t have to do with a political party or candidate. Others think Hansen has crossed the line. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), a member of the House’s Committee on Science and Technology, told Fox News that Hansen should “step out” of his role, and one of Hansen’s former supervisors, Dr. John Theon, believes he “has gone off the deep end.”

“Why he has not been fired I do not understand,” Theon said in a FoxNews.com interview. “As a civil servant, you can’t participate in calling for a public demonstration. You may be able to participate as a private citizen, but when you go on the Internet and call for people to break the law, that’s a problem.”

Dr. Hansen began his career at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in 1967 as a researcher focusing on the effects of human actions on the environment. Since his first big splash in the political arena at a Senate Energy Committee hearing in 1988, his career has been riddled with controversial arguments. Former co-workers stated that Hansen had violated NASA’s official position on climate forecasting without sufficient evidence and embarrassed the agency by airing his claims during the 1988 hearing.

In December of 2005, Hansen stated that significant cuts could be made to reduce global warming emissions with current technology and that the United States should be a global leader on such efforts, which in turn he claimed, caused the Bush Administration to muzzle his warnings and put him under restrictions. These included having his lectures be reviewed ahead of time, and allowing his supervisors to substitute themselves for him in scheduled media interviews.

But the claims have done little to silence Hansen, who recently received the Carl-Gustaf Rossby Research Medal from the American Meteorological Society for his outstanding contributions to the understanding of the structure and behavior of the atmosphere. The specifics behind the award include Hansen’s contributions to climate modeling, understanding climate change, and his ability to communicate his findings in a tangible way to the public, which is why he is considered a pioneer among environmental enthusiasts.

“The debate about global change is often emotional and controversial, and Jim has had the courage to stand up and say what others did not want to hear,” said Franco Einaudi, director of the Earth Sciences Division as NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in a press release. “His success is due in part to his personality, in part to his scientific achievements, and in part to his refusing to sit on the sidelines of the debate.”

Dr. Hansen has made no recent comments about the protest, but we're left wondering: do you think his actions were inappropriate?

Legalities aside, people like Hansen can be scientists or they can be activists. They can't be both, at least if the activism involves their own field of academic endeavor. When one becomes a political activist, he can no longer claim the objectivity required for intellectually honest research and interpretation of the results thereof. His scientific integrity automatically becomes suspect.

Chris Martin
March 18, 2009 4:13 AM

I am a British citizen and I have written to NASA about Mr Hansen's activities in the UK, which I consider entirely inappropriate for a Government employee of another country. NASA gave the usual 'didn't agree' reply - stating that his opinions were his own.

What amazes me is that he can come to the UK (as he did) and appear in a Court to defend activists who caused thousands of pounds of criminal damage to a power plant. Mr Hansen's support was critical in the activists winning the case. Later this week he is to appear in another British city on a demonstration about the opening of another power plant.

I am a British Government employee - imagine if I were to come over to the US and do the same thing? I would probably lose my job

Ralph
March 18, 2009 12:40 PM

I used to work for the US govt, and if I had become involved in activist demonstrations regarding my specialty (nuclear energy), I would have been fired. No ifs, ands, or buts. The environmentalists would have been the first people to call attention to such a conflict of interest and call for my head. I guess "green" supporters have different standards from the rest of us, and when they become the real powers in our government, the rest of us will have to hew to their line or get sent off to re-eduction camps.

Sam
March 18, 2009 1:19 PM

Hansen's integrity has been in question for many years now. He has made countless errors in the adjustments and administration of the GISS surface temperature data sets. In every case, these "errors" install a bias towards his political position. He makes years prior to 1940 colder, and recent years warmer all to make the apparent slope of warming steeper and more evident. What are the odds that every error works to bolster his advocated position. In my opinion, he is a complete fraud and should be fired at a minimum, and more likely, in jail for criminal misuse of taxpayer funds.