ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SCIENCE AND SCIENTISTS TO SOCIETY AND PUBLIC POLICY: THE HAZARDS OF MOUNT ST. HELENS AND ANTHROPOGENIC CLIMATE CHANGE

Beyond the responsibility for honest research to answer important questions about Nature, science as human endeavor necessarily encompasses a moral dimension. As citizens of society who are privileged to have special knowledge of planet Earth, it is incumbent upon geoscientists in particular to inform and advocate action essential to the well being of the society and the natural environment that support them.

Research by geoscientists in monitoring Mount St. Helens during the Spring of 1980, in projecting hazardous conditions, and in advising public agencies and the public regarding appropriate action helped to reduce loss of life and injury when the volcano erupted. Politicization of and opposition to such action was minimal, and the public interest was well served.

Surrounding us, however, is an egregious example of the politicization of science and the prevention of public policy action: anthropogenic climate change. If it is the role of science and scientists to warn a regional public about a pending volcanic eruption, then why is it not the role of science and scientists to warn the global public about current and future impacts of human-induced climate change? Mounting anthropogenic impacts are already inflicting immense human suffering in the form of death, disease, and bodily harm as well as enormous property damage. Heightened public awareness is essential to public policy action.

Accordingly, the principal goal of this paper is to emphasize that science and scientists have a major professional and moral responsibility to inform the public of the consequences of climate change and to influence policy makers to take immediate effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Planet Earth is distinguished by life. The future well being of our planet and its magnificent richness of biodiversity is in our charge and is our undeniable responsibility. This paper respectfully requests the geoscience community and the community of scientists and scholars at large to address the greatest environmental challenge of human history.

As so eloquently stated by David Archer and Stefan Ramstorf (2010), “A fundamental principle of a civilized society is to protect people from harm done by others. If we are to call ourselves a civilized species, there is nothing for it but to change the way we produce and consume energy.”