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Judge Orders EPA To Produce Science Behind Pruitt's Climate Claims (scientificamerican.com)

EPA must produce the opposing body of science Administrator Scott Pruitt has relied upon to claim that humans are not the primary drivers of global warming, a federal judge has ruled. From a report: The EPA boss has so far resisted attempts to show the science backing up his claims. His critics say such evidence doesn't exist, even as Pruitt has called for greater science transparency at the agency. Now, a court case may compel him to produce research that attempts to contradict the mountain of peer-reviewed studies collected by the world's top science agencies over decades that show humans are warming the planet at an unprecedented pace through the burning of fossil fuels. Not long after he took over as EPA administrator, Pruitt appeared on CNBC's "Squawk Box," where he was asked about carbon dioxide and climate change. He said, "I would not agree that it's a primary contributor to the global warming that we see." The next day, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, or PEER, filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the studies Pruitt used to make his claims. Specifically, the group requested "EPA documents that support the conclusion that human activity is not the largest factor driving global climate change." On Friday, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Beryl Howell, ordered the agency to comply.

9 of 428 comments (clear)

  1. Re:liberal judge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You know... because asking someone to provide proof of a claim is anti-conservative.

  2. Re:Move along nothing to see here... by sqorbit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They didn't pin him down. They simply are asking for the research behind his statements. If you're the head of the EPA and make a statement such as he made I think it's totally rational to ask for the research.

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    Sent from my TARDIS
  3. Re:Move along nothing to see here... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Proper science never has just one side.

    What is the "other side" to Copernicus' view that the Earth revolves around the Sun? It's been almost half a millennium, so you've had plenty of time to come up with something.

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    You are welcome on my lawn.
  4. Re:Proving a negative by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It isn’t possible to met the judges demand.

    Sure it is. All he has to do is show evidence of what is the primary driver of global warming. If that primary driver isn't humans, then voila, it's done!

    First, you have to prove global warming is happening

    That's already been demonstrated by the temperature of the sea rising.

    Pruitt may contend this is a normal fluctuation.

    If this is true then there would be evidence of it (which there is not).

    The “consensus view” on global warming being manmade is based on a flawed study of the papers at a climate conference where the famed 97% figure arose.

    A lot of good research has been done on the topic. No single study shapes the view of the scientific community. Living in denial is fine... as long as you don't stand in the way of people trying to address the issue.

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    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  5. Re:Move along nothing to see here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    An organizational leader shouldn't make informed decisions?
    What kind of leader do you want?

    Oh wait, I think I know.

  6. Re:Move along nothing to see here... by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Any scientific organizational leader that doesn't make policy based on scientific research is incompetent.

    FTFY

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    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  7. Re: That's not a scientific demand. by Sique · · Score: 4, Insightful
    No, it's a demand for bringing up evidence for the point Mr. Pruitt was making. There is this fine line between proof and evidence.

    If Mr. Pruitt thinks that there is research going on casting serious doubts on the results the IPCC is basing its recommendations on, then he surely is able to point to that research. Because it was Mr. Pruitt who demands that the EPA needs more scientific transparency. This is just the demand to actually cast some light to make the science more transparent for us to judge.

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    .sig: Sique *sigh*
  8. Re: Costs and benefits by Nidi62 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I fail to see what is silly about it. The primary goal of the DoD is to protect the country. The primary duty of State is to protect and advocate for American positions and citizens abroad. For Interior, protect our natural resources. IRS, endure we have the income to operate as a government. These are all primary goals. Doing so in a financially efficient way is an expectation put upon them. But in any case, an EPA with lax or removed policies will only increase costs to taxpayers in the long term when the inevitable mess has to be cleaned up and we have to pay for it.

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    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  9. the solution is not a left vs right power struggle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    no one ever asked epa to provide "proof" that global warming exists

    Conservatives have asked, on numerous occasions. It has been provided as research papers, peer reviewed. And in some cases the data has been collected from multiple sources. And the hypothesis are testable and in some cases independently reproduced.

    Just because you don't like the answer doesn't mean you weren't given an answer.

    tl;dr- climate change is occurring. oceans are warming. global changes in weather is inevitable. these changes is caused, at least partially, by human activity. these are the things we know. ask me in 10 years and I can give you an answer with more detail and be able to predict even more.