US cuts back climate checks from space

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

US cuts back climate checks from space
Associated Press - June 4, 2007 7:13 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush is trying to convince the world the US is ready to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gases.

But meanwhile, the administration is drastically scaling back efforts to measure global warming from space.

A confidential report to the White House, obtained by The Associated Press, warns that American scientists will soon lose much of their ability to monitor warming from space.

They've been using a costly and problem-plagued satellite initiative begun more than a decade ago. It was intended to gather weather and climate data. But the Pentagon has decided to downsize and launch four satellites instead of 6 satellites.



Read more: http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=6610716&nav=5D7v

[WePurrsevere]

1. Good! "A House panel has called for a hearing later this week." Here's more info on this...

Same basic story... same writer... different write up with more info on why this is a serious problem:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=3242662

"Unfortunately, the recent loss of climate sensors ... places the overall climate program in serious jeopardy," NOAA and NASA scientists told the White House in the Dec. 11 report obtained by the AP.

They said they will face major gaps in data that can be collected only from satellites about ice caps and sheets, surface levels of seas and lakes, sizes of glaciers, surface radiation, water vapor, snow cover and atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Rick Piltz, director of Climate Science Watch, a watchdog program of the Washington-based Government Accountability Project, called the situation a crisis.

"We're going to start being blinded in our ability to observe the planet," said Piltz, whose group provided the AP with the previously undisclosed report. "It's criminal negligence, and the leaders in the climate science community are ringing the alarm bells on this crisis."

[kestrel91316]

4. ......."It's criminal negligence".......of course it is. He expects better from

this administration???

Secrecy about EVERYTHING (except personal stuff that should be PRIVATE) is the name of the game for Bushco. If we can't document GW, then we can't blame Bush for making things worse.

[Lisa]

2. it's like the story of the drunk who only looks for his keys under the lamppost

Because it's too dark to search anywhere else!

Similar situation with deciding not to test for mad cow (because finding something would require action). Sigh.

By the way, as someone who occasionally does climate research -- not having adequate data can be a major obstacle to improving global warming models and impact studies. I suspect that they are also closing down ground-based weather stations, since it's harder to find long-term records for some areas.

[Demeter]

3. This Is Why SOme Call Bush a Chimp

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Tell No Truths

[icymist]

5. Great! See?! Global warming don't exist!

Making sure there are no new studies or gathering of information will certainly back their argument.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. K, and R number 5.

[bonito]

7. #6 n/t

[MisterP]

8. silly humans, space is for conquest and weapons, not research, observation,

and astronauts making scientific visits

[nam78_two]

9. K, R and Sigh

I am so sick of this administration...
So so sick of this bs ...

[Double T]

10. Impeachment cannot happen swiftly enough

[truthisfreedom]

11. Freakin' WRITE YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE.

I'm going to call them tomorrow. CHRIST.

[Rex]

12. This is neglect on a global scale and no one will make a big fuss

about it in the corporate news circuit.

[donkeyotay]

13. It's the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on global warming. nt

[nashville_brook]

14. out of sight, out of mind