COP18: Scientists increasingly anxious about lack of climate urgency

COP18: Scientists increasingly anxious about lack of climate urgency

COP18 (06/12/12) – Alden Meyer, Director of Strategy and Policy, Union of Concerned Scientists talks about the growing anxiety among the scientific community over the lack of urgency at the talks.

He talks about the worrying level of disconnect between what the science says is going to happen and needs to be done and what the politicians are pledging to do, both internationally and nationally.

He says there is still confusion among the public about climate change. He uses the example of the US and says people are generally not aware of the unanimous opinion of most climate scientists are global warming.

He says that people still tend to think this is something that is going to happen further down the road and will hit other countries like Bangladesh first. He says that the recent Superstorm Sandy that hit the US was somewhat of a wake up call for the country.

He says that there has been a concerted effort in the US by denialists to deliberately confuse people about the science. He says now climate change is hitting at home, and people are thinking more about it the job of his organisation and others in the country is to turn this into direct political pressure.