The Guardian have a big splash today asking questions about climate change minister Greg Barker’s links to the energy industry, based on freedom of information requests. They also found some documents on climate communications which Leo Hickman posted links from his twitter account on Monday night. Amongst them was this speech from an unnamed DECC official. It’s … Continue reading »
Tagged with public engagement …
Has climate science moved from prediction to explanatory mode?
I have a pair of Narwhal fingerpuppets. I win. After the idea that “academic freedom is bullshit”, another interesting line I heard at SciFoo which has stuck in my mind: ecologist Ken Caldiera remarking that climate science was increasingly moving from prediction to explanatory mode. Today’s editorial in the Independent – suggesting their was a … Continue reading »
Academic freedom: bullshit?
“They’ve got more choice”. Street art in Deptford, East London. Freedom is one of those words – like fairness, science, truth, beauty – which is so complex and/ or relative in its application any straightforward articulation of it really should be avoided. And yet it is - like fairness, science, truth, beauty – all too often dimly bandied … Continue reading »
Crowd-funding science?
I had a couple of visits to Broadcasting House this week, talking about the ethics of crowd-funding science on the World Service and Radio 4. Both pieces were based on a discussion of the Petridish website, but there’s scope for scientific work via Kickstarter too, and Cancer Research UK have a special frundraising stream called … Continue reading »
Scientific literacy
A visitor’s view on energy policy spins around a giant wheel shaped piece of art at the front of the London Science Museum. I was on Radio 4 last night talking about why I don’t think calls for scientific literacy are the way to solve problems of science in society. It’s fifteen minutes long. You can listen … Continue reading »
Green science policy
Posters currently outside BIS offices, London One result of the recent wave of anti-GMO protests seems to be an outpouring of debate over whether the green movement is “anti-science”. The latest to cross my laptop screen was a blogpost from Adam Ramsey, arguing the Green Party are actually more pro-science than their competitors; they just need … Continue reading »
Science communication and political divides
Last month, I chaired an event on science communication and political divides at the Biochemical Society. As taster, here’s a bit from about half way though, from panelist Steve Cross: Within all kinds of science communication, not just the stuff you think is controversial [e.g. climate change, GMOs] there is a big political divide and … Continue reading »
Is science media just about selling us stuff?
Last month, I chaired a debate at the Royal Institution exploring the different expectations scientists and journalists have for science media. I was asked to write up my notes for the Guardian science blog, and picked out three questions from the many we discussed on the night. 1. Is climate change a qualitatively different issue … Continue reading »
Public engagement with (climate) security?
Last month, Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, gave a speech about “climate security” (full text on DECC site) Climate change is about increased risk: of extreme events, of natural disasters, of changes in weather patterns. As our understanding of the climate grows, so does our understanding of what those risks … Continue reading »
Finding new stories for climate science
Stained Glass Window at Royal Society. Joe Smith has written a blogpost about climate science in the media based on his contribution to a debate at Imperial I ran last month. Smith suggests climate science is a bad fit for the mass media: too slow moving, too complex, too uncertain. Journalists try to spice things … Continue reading »
