A leading US scientist has spoken out about President Bush’s lack of action in tackling climate change.
Professor John Holden, President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, has expressed serious concerns about what he describes as “the dangerous human disruption of the global climate”.
As reported on BBC Radio 4’s Today program this morning (31st August), Professor Holden said that the US President was right in stating that improved technology would be important to solving the problem of global warming - but was wrong for assuming we have time to wait for better technology before we can do anything about the impending crisis.
“The problem is that the spending rate is roughly flat,” warned Professor Holden. “We need that spending rate to double or triple or quadruple over the next few years if we really want to mount the sort of effort in energy technology innovation that this challenge requires, and we’re simply not doing it.
“The President is not requesting it, the Congress is not appropriating it and the public is not demanding it.” Continued the concerned academic.
On a more positive note, Professor Holden described the passing in June 2005 of the Senate Resolution on Climate Change as “a veritable sea change”.
“The position on this issue of the energy companies is changing. I’m optimistic about the rate of change one sees in Congress, that one sees in the private sector and it’s even conceivable that President Bush will finally decide that the United States needs to do something about climate change.” Concluded Professor Holden.