RealClearPolitics - The Era of Expert Failure

The threat of climate change, like the threat of terrorism, can be characterized in such a way as to justify an unlimited attempt at expert control. Regardless of whether experts really can accurately measure, predict, and explain climate change, some will be tempted to exercise power as if their analysis were precise and certain.

EBay: Our Merchants Are Good For The Earth | Caroline McCarthy | Voices | AllThingsD

In June 2008, eBay announced via its “Green Team” blog that Cooler would be its partner in “the world’s first comprehensive analysis of the global warming benefits of online trading, payments, and communications.”

Who Killed the Climate and Energy Bill? - Newsweek

Most of the post mortem is inside baseball, relevant only to those Beltway types. But there is a relevant lingering question here. Considering that a deal on energy (and most definitely climate) will take cooperation from both parties, and since a bipartisan environment after November seems about as likely as the Nationals winning the World Series, where does energy go from here? The answer might be to the White House, which has stayed mum on much of the talk about energy and climate—despite both topics being large parts of Candidate Obama’s campaign. The president might be the only person at this point to revive the talks. But it’s also possible that, along with Social Security and Medicare, climate change and vigorous energy reform might have recently become a new political third rail.

What if Galileo were here?

In one recent example, a scientist wasn't allowed to talk to reporters until after the request had been funnelled through communications managers, policy advisers, political staff and senior advisers. And that was for a non-controversial report dealing with a flood that swept across Canada 13,000 years ago.

Andrew Weaver, an outspoken climate scientist at the University of Victoria, has called the Canadian government cone-of-silence policy "Orwellian."