Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming

[Sugarcoated]

By ANDREW C. REVKIN
Published: June 8, 2005

A White House official who once led the oil industry's fight against limits on greenhouse gases has repeatedly edited government climate reports in ways that play down links between such emissions and global warming, according to internal documents.
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In handwritten notes on drafts of several reports issued in 2002 and 2003, the official, Philip A. Cooney, removed or adjusted descriptions of climate research that government scientists and their supervisors, including some senior Bush administration officials, had already approved. In many cases, the changes appeared in the final reports.

The dozens of changes, while sometimes as subtle as the insertion of the phrase "significant and fundamental" before the word "uncertainties," tend to produce an air of doubt about findings that most climate experts say are robust.

Mr. Cooney is chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the office that helps devise and promote administration policies on environmental issues.

Before going to the White House in 2001, he was the "climate team leader" and a lobbyist at the American Petroleum Institute, the largest trade group representing the interests of the oil industry. A lawyer with a bachelor's degree in economics, he has no scientific training.

The documents were obtained by The New York Times from the Government Accountability Project, a nonprofit legal-assistance group for government whistle-blowers.

http://www.nytimes.com/

[G_j]

1. former lobbyist at the American Petroleum Institute

becomes chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

typical :puke:


nominated..

[Indy Lurker]

2. Where is some good info on global warming?

I know very little about global warming, but would like to learn more.

Is there a website that explains the science behind green house gas and global warming?

[newyawker99]

4. Hi Indy Lurker!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[fasttense]

3. Just creating their own reality.

The problem is that the truth wont just disappear like a smeared political opponent. While they rig the environmental, economic and political numbers, global warming continues to destroy the earth, the economy continues to decline, and his poll numbers continue to plummet.