Yale Climate Connections Is a Fantastic Resource
I have a warm spot in my heart for Yale University, for their position as a rival of my alma mater (Trinity College) on the squash courts, as well as their involvement with one of my heroes in environmentalism, Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 2002 to 2015, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize during his tenure. Dr. Pachauri granted me an interview in his office at Yale, which formed one of the chapters of my book “Renewable Energy–Following the Money.”
With that in mind, let me offer my hearty recommendation of Yale Climate Connections, a nonpartisan, multimedia service providing daily broadcast radio programming and original web-based reporting, commentary, and analysis on the issue of climate change, one of the greatest challenges and stories confronting modern society.
Here’s today’s edition, which I found interesting. As it turns out, Henry David Thoreau kept meticulous notes about the blooming of the plants around Walden Pond during the years he spent there, which, coincidentally, help modern climate scientists understand and measure climate change. That these same plant species are blooming two weeks earlier today (~165 years later) provides us a means to measure the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere that caused that change.
Craig,
Well, it’s nice to have hero’s, even (maybe especially) ones with feet of clay.
Of course, it’s quite possible that Dr Pachauri is the victim of an orchestrated campaign by human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover and a number of women bringing sexual harassment charges against him, charges for which he is still on bail and therefore should be granted the presumption of innocence.
Dr Pachauri also complains of impoverishment as he complains his sources of income have dried up and former friends have deserted him. I’m sure Dr Pachauri would be very appreciative of your continued loyal admiration.
Charges such as Dr Pachauri is facing (especially when historic) are very difficult to disprove, at least in the ‘court of public opinion and media’. Righteous causes often degenerate into media driven witch hunts, claiming many innocent victims before the “Me Too” hysteria runs of of steam.
As a climate change advocate, Dr Pachauri, along with Al Gore reveled in the publicity of climate change celebrity status during the height of the “green boom” between 2006-2016.
In recent years, his influence has lessened not just because of the scandals surrounding his personal life, but he is now largely regarded as an alarmist who chose celebrity and advocacy over science.
That’s rather sad, but a consequence of gathering honours and awards largely for advocacy of a politically fashionable cause. The public are fickle and once the music changes so too does the spotlight.
In good too see that despite his feet of clay, Dr Pachauri still has a few remaining loyal admirers. (Not however Yale University, which has rapidly distanced itself from the unfortunate former star attraction).