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CSIRO research, independent of government or not?
This is a really big question and an important one to answer, is it determines the validity of the research and publications by the CSIRO that are consumed by the general public and media at large. If the CSIRO is operated without undue government policy 'directing' then that research can be considered as balanced and fair in coverage. If on the other hand, the CSIRO has been constrained in its remit to fit in with current government policy, then the research, by its nature, is unbalanced and has in effect turned into a weapon of political spin - something that is a rather pale imitation of 'free minded' research.First off, a rather interesting video from Dr Art Raiche, a retired CSIRO Chief Research Scientist.
So based on what Art has said it seems certainly likely that the policy of the current government has got into deciding what research gets done at CSIRO via a formalized management layer. This is not good for their independent point of view.
Next a video by Dr David Evans, who worked as a climate modeler at the Australian Greenhouse Office (now the Department of Climate Change).
Now rather than focus on his thoughts on climate change, think about what he says with respect to the interference of government in the research that is undertaken and how that disrupts the ability of that research to come to a balanced and well considered position on any given subject. Does it sound somewhat familiar to what Art said, especially with the rough date around which things started to go down hill, i.e. the 1980's??
Conclusion
Its seems that there is something going on here, namely government policy looks to be interfering with deciding what research gets perused and then published and presented. This means the research done by the CSIRO is likely to be politically skewed, as the research that should have been done to create a balanced perspective is missing - this is bad for decision making and bad for research in general; as everything done in this 'research environment' is essentially unsound and will have to be reworked over before proper science can proceed. This is of course assuming that we get a political change that is enlightened enough to undo the damage done, which is in no way guaranteed given the changes that have happened so far..What can you do? I suggest you contact your MP and share this post as far and wide as possible.
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Comments left
- Rob B said:
I don't undertstand this quote: "if the majority of people do not experience a market signal to change their behavior there is no reason for them to change... " Compensation means that if people don't move to alternatives they won't be too much worse off. However if they DO move to alternatives, they can be better off. The tax makes the existing alternatives comparatively cheaper, and should encourage other alternatives to be created. In effect the tax encourages those people who are compensated via a potential saving (of using lower-carbon-impact alternatives). This is likely a softer motivation to change, but it is still a motivation. It is also much more politically saleable, and there is no benefit in putting up models that no-one will accept.
ON Mon, 15 Aug 11, 11:25pm probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
Hi Rob,
yes, what you say is true only if there exists an alternative - the trouble is people on a low income spend most of their income on food, followed by transport and housing. See my link for the ABS report on household expenditure. Given food doesn't get effected by the Carbon Tax in a positive way; petrol is excluded and housing is a static cost outside of the cycles the Carbon Tax - I think my statement is fair. See where domestic fuel and power costs come in the chart, 3rd to bottom...
Yes, there will be some change, but not as much as I think we are being led to believe - the big expenditure items are essentially untouched by the tax in a positive way.ON Tue, 16 Aug 11, 1:41am probably from United States Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
- Ian said:
I agree with sustainable living but what Labor have put forward has ZERO to do with reduction of Carbon/CO2 or living with a small environmental footprint. It's a load of Political penalty & is more about stupidity by a Rat-bag Gov who have no clue what being Green is about. It should be binned & we should start again with a Roundtable discussion only with Liberal, Independents, NGO's etc. The Labor/Julia/Bob plan is going to lead to Riots! How is that going to look leading into Rio 2012?
ON Thu, 18 Aug 11, 12:58pm probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Max Ingram said:
you are all idiots... the carbon tax isnt even a proper tax its more of a fine to give the people some insentive to think about what they have done the carbon tax is a great idea look at some of the countires in europe they ar running 80% of they energy from geothermal,wind,hydro and solar so think about what its achieving i agree with the matter as they are doing it the wrong way as to appose how they should do it i am only fifteen but my pupils and myself shouldnt be the ones to clean up the mess from the genertaion before us..
ON Wed, 2 Nov 11, 11:17pm probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
Max, exactly what mess are you referring to? The last ten years the temperature globally has stabilized, yet a quarter of all human Co2 since 1751 has been emitted in that time. also the 'hot spot' in the atmosphere that the models say should be there at the equator due to human co2 is clearly not present. The IPCC for each successive report has downgraded the rate of temperature change because their models keep overshooting what is happening in reality...
I agree caring about the environment is very important - but the environment now, compared to what it was 50 years ago, is much much better. The only real signs of persistent environmental degradation is occurring in Asia - specifically China. About a third of their coastline is so polluted that fishing is banned. Guess where the majority of solar panels and wind turbines are built?
Also which countries in Europe are running at 80%? I know in Europe that Spain has drastically cut back green subsidies and it looks like the UK is about to do the same....ON Thu, 3 Nov 11, 2:53am probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
- Robert Bonello said:
so let me try and understand this carbon tax i go to fill my car with petrol who pays me the $10 dollar rebate the this pathetic goverment has offerded il give you the answer its myself through our taxes its a carbon dixode tax alot of pain for not much gain what a waste of tax payers money bring on this election soon please.
ON Tue, 27 Mar 12, 10:10pm probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
Hi Robert, I agree with you - the Carbon Tax does nothing for the environment and just acts as one big circular wealth transference device with the government directing the money go round.
BTW In Queensland the new government has just announced a massive roll back on Green schemes - given the amount of overhead and ill advised policies these schemes encompass - I fully support the move.ON Wed, 28 Mar 12, 4:38am probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
- Kristen said:
This is meant to be an article of pros and cons.I hope all those who read this have enough education to understand what a 'preferred reading' is and immediately identify this article as one. What an atrocious attempt at journalism.
ON Thu, 3 May 12, 8:31am probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
Kristen, just look at the article rating 3.57 based on 151 votes. Hardly an indication that people think the article is 'an atrocious attempt at journalism'.
Also what exactly in it has not come to pass since it has been written? All our solar cell manufacturers have LEFT Australia - we have no real manufacturing base for this, especially when compared against the cost base of what is available from China. Heck, even China are now focussing on nuclear and hydro power instead of 'ineffective' solar and wind...
I suggest you focus on keeping up with the news and then comment.ON Thu, 3 May 12, 9:16pm probably from Australia Reply to this comment
- Eco Guy said:
- Sam said:
Just bloody kill julia and her corepresenters of the carbon tax, problem solved.
ON Mon, 7 May 12, 2:33pm probably from Australia Reply to this comment
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