OPINION:

Being chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is probably no picnic.  The organization has recently been under attack for its inability to explain why global temperatures have flat-lined, despite a rise in human-made carbon dioxide, once thought to be the main driver of climate change.  As the Netherlands submission to overhaul IPCC pointed out, the IPCC’s focus on ‘comprehensive’ reporting meant that for 15 years, global governments were unaware that global warming had stagnated – and continued to implement climate change policies to ‘stop global warming’…that had stopped naturally.

A group of European scientists and scholars are raising the issue of free scientific inquiry in response to the previous Belgian Council of Minister’s support of an individual who is a candidate for the Chair of the IPCC.  However, these experts say the proposed candidate appears to bring an agenda to the table – and that’s not what the world needs now.

They’ve issued a communiqué in Belgium that is getting some press.  See the English version here English Version of van Ypersele Communique Jan 21 2015 .  The English version of the communique expresses the opinions of the group and they wish to make fair comment on a matter of public interest. The English version includes some relevant background information for North American readers who may not be familiar with the issues or the signatories to the communiqué.

Ironically, this candidate is part of a university that is signatory to the Magna Charta Universitatum:

“The Magna Charta Universitatum is a document that was signed by 388 rectors and heads of universities from all over Europe and beyond on 18 September 1988, the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna.

It contains principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy as a guideline for good governance and self-understanding of universities in the future.

Academic freedom is the foundation for the independent search for truth and a barrier against undue intervention for both government and interest groups.”

Let us continue the 900+ year tradition of the University of Bologne – let us be free to question and criticize climate science in a civil and rational manner.