Climate Sunday: "Secret Climate Report Calls for Action in SC"

Why "secret climate report"? Because it's South Carolina, one of the most conservative states in the US of A, and it's possible that Republican Gov. Nikki Haley among other conservatives would prefer that climate not be treated as a serious issue. But it will be a serious economic issue in the Palmetto State, and I don't see how they can afford not to pay attention when faced with the results of the study.

The problem isn't the science. It's the politics:

“Scientists in all divisions of the DNR are concerned over the potential impacts of climate change on natural resources,” the draft report says. “DNR recognizes climate change as a real phenomenon, grounded in numerous scientific studies, and DNR recognizes that thoughtful and careful planning is needed in order to protect the natural resources of the Palmetto State and to benefit its citizens in the future.” 

Team members left little doubt in the report that they believe rising global temperatures are linked to man-made pollution. That point is widely accepted in the scientific community. Data show sharp increases since the Industrial Revolution of pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, that cause global warming. 

Some conservative politicians, however, have questioned the science and criticized efforts to curb greenhouse gases, fearing it will hurt industries by imposing unnecessary regulations. 

Bob Perry, a DNR official and the climate report’s editor, said completing the study isn’t a major point of emphasis now that his agency is under new leadership. 

“A lot of things have changed for the agency, and our priorities have changed,” Perry said.

 (Emboldening, mine.) It seems to me that it's the politicians who want to pretend that if you ignore a problem, it goes away who are the real problem. They worry about regulations hurting some industries, when climate change will have far-ranging long-term consequences across many industries--fishing, farming, harm to real estate and business via rising water and extreme weather. I don't know that I would call people who "question the science" conservative, so much as cowards. They challenge the science because they don't want to challenge their campaign donors, is more like it. Failing to concentrate on what is happening with the environment and coming up with solutions isn't a change of "priorities". It's burying their heads in the sand--but those sands are going to shift.

The science says so.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/02/24/2645515/secret-climate-report-calls-for.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy