The Never-Policy-Prescriptive Pachauri « NoFrakkingConsensus

The IPCC is supposed to be – as its website makes clear – “policy-neutral, never policy-prescriptive.” Yet practically every time its chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, opens his mouth he advocates specific responses to climate change. Nor does he restrict himself to discussing measures that governments should embrace – he wants to talk about you and me, as well.

I have a problem with this since I was provided with no opportunity to elect – or reject – Pachauri. As far as I’m concerned he’s some distant bloke associated with a United Nations body that is looking less accountable by the minute. So I actually don’t care what he thinks of my personal lifestyle choices.

Nevertheless, it’s important to be aware of the judgmental, highly moralistic nature of this man’s views.

Do Fights Over Climate Communication Reflect the End of 'Scientism'? - NYTimes.com

My denial, I said, lay in my longstanding presumption, like that of many scientists and journalists, that better communication of information will tend to change people’s perceptions, priorities and behavior. This attitude, in my view, crested for climate scientists in the wake of the 2007 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.