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ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE Political Interference in Federal Climate Science A R E P O R T O F T H E Union of Concerned Scientists A N D T H E Government Accountability Project ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE Political Interference in Federal Climate Science Timothy Donaghy Jennifer Freeman Francesca Grifo Karly Kaufman Tarek Maassarani Lexi Shultz Union of Concerned Scientists Government Accountability Project FEBR ua R Y 2 0 0 7 ii ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE iii © 2007 Union of Concerned Scientists and the Government Accountability Project All rights reserved. The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. The UCS Scientific Integrity Program mobilizes scientists and citizens alike to defend science from political interference and restore scientific integrity in federal policy making. More information about UCS and the Scientific Integrity Program is available online at www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity. The Government Accountability Project (GAP) is the nation’s largest whistleblower organization. GAP attorneys and organizers assist whistleblowers in taking their evidence of wrongdoing to appropriate government agencies, committees, and officials to investigate, expose, and rectify the problems they have identified. More information about GAP is avail- able online at www.whistleblower.org. The full text of this report is available on the UCS website (www.ucsusa.org/publications) or may be obtained from UCS Publications 2 Brattle Square Cambridge, MA 02238-9105 Or email [email protected] or call (617) 547-5552. DESIGN: David Gerratt/DG Communications PHotos: iStockphoto.com Printed on 100% post-consumer, process chlorine-free, recycled paper using vegetable-based inks. ii ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE iii Contents Figures iv Acknowledgments v Contributors vi Executive Summary 1 1. Introduction 6 2. Background on Federal Climate Research 7 History 7 Organization 7 Funding 10 3. Documented Incidents of Political Interference 11 4. Research Methods 15 UCS: Climate Scientist Survey 15 GAP: Interviews with Climate Scientists 16 5. UCS Survey Results 19 Political Interference 19 Barriers to Communication 24 Inadequate Funding 26 Poor Morale 26 6. GAP Investigation Results 29 Media Policies 29 Scientific Communication with Congress 36 7. Discussion 38 8. Recommendations and Conclusions 42 References 45 Appendices 48 A: UCS Climate Scientist Survey Text and Responses (Federal) B: UCS Climate Scientist Survey Text and Responses (NCAR) C: Selected Survey Results D: Model Media Policy E: Edits to Congressional Communications by Government Staff iv ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE v Figures 1. Organization of Federal Climate Research 8 2. Climate Change Science Program Budget, by Agency 10 3. Survey Response Data, by Agency 15 4. Survey Demographics 17 5. Political Interference in Federal Climate Science 21 6. Political Interference on Controversial Issues 23 7. Comparing the Impact of NASA and NOAA Scientific Openness Policies 25 8. Funding and Quality of Federal Climate Research 26 9. A Deteriorating Environment for Federal Climate Research 27 10. Increased Dissatisfaction for Climate Scientists 27 11. Morale within Climate Research Offices 28 12. NOAA Review Process Flowchart 32 iv ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE v Acknowledgments This report was made possible by the financial support of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Beldon Fund, Open Society Institute, Streisand Foundation, Mendel McCormack Fund of the Tides Foundation, and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. This report would not have been possible without the valuable input, through both survey responses and interviews, of hundreds of climate scientists within the federal government and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. We would like to express our deep gratitude to these scientists for taking the time to share their experiences with us. UCS would like to thank Brenda Ekwurzel for her insight and wisdom, Heather Tuttle for her masterful editing, Michael Halpern for his helpful comments and advice, and David Gerratt for layout and design. Tarek Maassarani of the Government Accountability Project (GAP) would like to acknowledge Richard Ewenstein, Oveta Walker, Kent Mackzum, and Athena McMahon for their incredible assis- tance with the investigation, as well as Tom Devine and the GAP board for giving him the oppor- tunity and support to take on this exciting project. The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the foundations that supported our work, or the individuals who reviewed and commented on our report. Both the opinions and the information contained herein are the sole responsibility of the authors. vi ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE vii Contributors Timothy Donaghy is an analyst in the UCS Scientific Integrity Program. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago. Jennifer Freeman is a science writer and consultant to the UCS Scientific Integrity Program. She holds an MBA from Columbia University. Francesca Grifo is the senior scientist and director of the UCS Scientific Integrity Program. She holds a Ph.D. in botany from Cornell University. Karly Kaufman is the legislative assistant for the UCS Scientific Integrity Program. She holds a B.S. in environmental policy analysis from the University of California, Davis. Tarek Maassarani, now a Westwood Fellow at the Neighborhood Legal Services Program, recently served as a staff attorney and lead investigator for the Government Accountability Project. He holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and a law degree from Georgetown University. Lexi Shultz, now the Washington representative for climate policy at UCS, recently served as the Washington representative for the UCS Scientific Integrity Program. She holds an environmental law degree from Pace Law School. vi ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE vii About the Union of Concerned Scientists The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices. UCS was founded in 1969 by faculty members and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who were concerned about the misuse of science and technology in society. From that beginning, UCS has become a powerful voice for change. The UCS Scientific Integrity Program recognizes that the United States has an impressive history of investing in scientific research and respecting the independence of scientists. As a result, Americans have enjoyed sustained progress in economic and public health, as well as unequaled leadership within the global scientific community. An unprecedented level of political interference, however, threatens the integrity of government science. Because policy makers depend on impartial research to make informed decisions, UCS is mobilizing scientists and citizens alike to push for reforms that will protect our health, safety, and environment. About the Government Accountability Project The Government Accountability Project (GAP) is the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization. GAP was founded in 1977, in the wake of the Pentagon Papers scandal, as a project of the Institute for Policy Studies. It has been a lifeboat for more than 3,000 citizen activists providing a range of services including legal information, referrals, counseling, advocacy, litigation, legislative affairs, and media advice. GAP has also been a driving force in many legislative advances in whistle- blower protection, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989. GAP has developed in-house expertise in several areas such as promoting corporate accounta- bility, strengthening the rights and protections of whistleblowers, ensuring safe and cost-effective cleanup at nuclear weapons facilities, increasing food and drug safety, enforcing environmental protection laws, seeking better protection for whistleblowers internationally, and curtailing national security abuses. To assist whistleblowers, GAP attorneys and organizers seek to galvanize a public response to the issue, and take whistleblowers’ evidence of wrongdoing to appropriate government agencies, congressional committees, and others on Capitol Hill to investigate, expose, and rectify the problems they have identified. POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE 1 POLITICAL INTERFERENCE IN FEDERAL CLIMATE SCIENCE 1 Executive Summary ederal climate science research is at Accountability Project (GAP) undertook in- the forefront of assessing fundamental dependent investigations of federal climate causes of global warming and the future science. UCS mailed a questionnaire to more dangers it could pose to our nation and than 1,600 climate scientists at seven federal Fthe world. Such research is of tremendous value agencies to gauge the extent to which politics to many Americans planning for these risks, was playing a role in scientists’ research. Surveys including coastal communities designing infra- were also sent to scientists at
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