Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Markey Select Climate Committee Addresses Climate Science

Center President Norris McDonald, seated at far left, attended the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming hearing today that explored with climate scientists from the Obama administration the consensus view that global warming is real and is getting worse. Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) gave a spirited defense of the global warming consensus. Panelists Dr. John Holdren, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, pictured below with Chairman Markey, did an excellent job of showing that the past decade has been the hottest in recorded history, with all of the years since 2001 being in the top 10 of hottest. It was also pointed out by the panelists that this summer, the world’s oceans were the warmest in NOAA’s 130 years of record-keeping.

Dr. Lubchenco gave a couple of lab demonstrations right in the committee hearings, photo above left, that included using dry ice (frozen solidified carbon dioxide) to show how carbonic acidification occurs in the oceans. She also used vinegar as a light acid to show how shellfish shells would be dissolved by such acidification. It was a very impressive display because such demonstrations are rarely included in such hearings.

On the other side of the capitol later in the afternoon, the hearing at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TOSCA), where EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, left, was testifying, was turned into a hearing on the Climategate emails. Ranking minority committee member James Inhofe got the questioning on the emails started and other Republican members proceeded to press about delaying the considerations of EPA's 'Endangerment Finding' and in questioning the truthfulness of all IPCC global warming research. Chairwoman Boxer tried to keep the questioning on TOSCA but the email questions kept coming from minority committee memebers. As usual, Administrator Jackson handled herself very well in responding to the questions. She did not give an inch. (Photos courtesy House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming)

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