Disparagement of Climate Change Research: A Double Wrong - Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental Sustainability - page 163

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

WGI Working Group I

WGIAR4 Working Group I of the 4th Assessment Report

WGII Working Group II

WMO World Meteorological Organization

Overview
The engineering profession has a critical role to play in the fi ght against climate change.
It goes much further than risk management and the repair of structures damaged by
extreme weather events such as persistent fl ooding. A crucial task is the development
of a robust infrastructure capable of withstanding further weather onslaughts. New
ways of working will be necessary to create resilient structures and services aimed at a
low-carbon economy and the adaptation and mitigation of climate change. Section C-2
of the March 2014 instalment of the fi fth IPCC Report, IPCC WGII AR5 SPM (IPCC
2014a ), emphasises the importance of the development of adaptive learning in order to
develop effective adaptation and mitigation measures to create climate-resilient infra-
structures. This also needs to be refl ected in the professional education of future engi-
neers. The latest IPCC Report, IPCC WGIII AR5 SPM (IPCC 2014b ), stresses the
global risk of climate change and the need to take steps to build resilience and sustain-
ability, in urban areas in particular. Undoubtedly, this implies the involvement of the
engineering profession. An understanding of the activities of forces committed to dis-
missal and misrepresentation of the scientifi c evidence of climate change is essential
(see The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia
2014 ; Lucena et al. 2011 ; Parkinson 2003 ; The Royal Academy of Engineering 2011 ).
This chapter illustrates the way in which vested interests enable global warming
scepticism to push concern over climate change to the background, damaging the
reputation of climate science and climate scientists in the process. The fi rst, intro-
ductory section explains the processes involved in climate change and the way in
which it impacts adversely on human beings as well as the natural world. It also
describes the role of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the
body accepted as defi ning the consensus view of the phenomenon. This is followed
by a description of the preferred modes of those seeking to discredit the science in
order to continue 'business as usual' and of the concerted efforts of organisations
dedicated to this goal and of their sources of funding. The chapter then discusses
two authors whose work subtly undermines the authority of climate science and
concludes with the reaffi rmation that doing one's utmost to counteract the obfusca-
tion is an inescapable ethical imperative.

1 Introduction: The Science and What the World

Stands to Lose

Cases of scientifi c dishonesty are not unusual: academic reputations have been won