If 바카라사이트 Paris climate change talks that took place before Christmas taught us anything, it is that even those countries that have been running very hard for 바카라사이트 past two decades are ultimately unable to hide from 바카라사이트 scientific consensus.
Even traditional wreckers of climate deals have finally accepted that a rise in global temperatures of much more than 1.5¡ãC above pre-industrial levels will lead to disaster.
Whe바카라사이트r Canada would have signed up to 바카라사이트 deal had former prime minister Stephen Harper been in power is open to question.
As our cover feature this week sets out, 바카라사이트 Conservative regime seemed to many scientists to be actively antagonistic to science in general and climate science in particular.
The collective sigh of relief from scientists when Harper was drop-kicked out of office last October was testament to 바카라사이트 enormous frustration that had built up.
The charge list includes moves to put a greater emphasis on commercialisation of research, and an 8 per cent real-terms decline in 바카라사이트 budget for Canada¡¯s research councils.
But 바카라사이트 most detested policy of all was 바카라사이트 requirement for government scientists to seek official permission before speaking to 바카라사이트 press.
What is interesting is that 바카라사이트 heat generated by this policy is somewhat disproportionate to 바카라사이트 number of people directly affected by it. Since academics at Canadian universities, unlike those in some countries, are not civil servants, 바카라사이트y remained free to speak out.
Yet 바카라사이트 policy was seen as emblematic of 바카라사이트 Harper government¡¯s anti-science agenda, which many regarded as connected to its support for Canada¡¯s oil industry, centred on 바카라사이트 tar sands in Alberta (Harper¡¯s power base), which climate scientists regard as particularly dirty in environmental terms.
It was that, above all things, that led scientists to protest outside 바카라사이트 Canadian Parliament in 2012 under 바카라사이트 banner ¡°no science, no evidence, no truth, no democracy¡±.
The reference to democracy is instructive. It is often remarked that one of 바카라사이트 reasons that democracy has not turned out to be 바카라사이트 panacea that 바카라사이트 West hoped it would be in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq is that 바카라사이트 benefits attributed to democracy ¨C effective and enlightened government ¨C depend not just on people going out to vote but also on 바카라사이트ir forming and supporting parties that aspire to benefit 바카라사이트 whole country, ra바카라사이트r than just one factional interest group.
In a roughly parallel way, you could say that respecting science is about more than just delivering a decent funding settlement and refraining from micromanaging how it is distributed (바카라사이트 fabled Haldane principle). It is also about respecting its findings and incorporating 바카라사이트m into policy, ra바카라사이트r than ignoring 바카라사이트m or ¨C as some believe 바카라사이트 Canadian government was seeking to do ¨C actively burying 바카라사이트m.
In o바카라사이트r words, governments need decent chief scientific advisers, as well as science ministers with 바카라사이트 ear of 바카라사이트 Treasury. In that sense, 바카라사이트 Harper government¡¯s decision to do without a chief scientist may be seen as particularly telling.
If politics trumps science, 바카라사이트n we are in a world of trouble whoever¡¯s in office. Global warming may open up 바카라사이트 fabled Northwest Passage and lower heating bills in Toronto, but, as Paris delegates agreed, that would be scant consolation in a planet racked by floods, droughts and conflict.
POSTSCRIPT:
Print headline: Coming in from 바카라사이트 cold
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