Wednesday, October 20, 2010

IPCC authors

Donna is having a go at the so-called "top scientists" who write the IPCC report. She found 1, 2, 3, 4 authors who where fresh out of grad school (if that) when elevated to the IPCC. There are more examples, of course: Sam Fankhauser, Richard Klein and myself.
I think it is good for an author team to have a mix of talent and experience. I think the fault lies with the leadership, who claim -- incorrectly as they well know -- that only top people write for the IPCC.
The infamous social cost chapter of AR2 had seven authors: one senior academic who guided the chapter, one senior consultant, two figureheads, and three juniors who did most of the work. It worked well. The team was fine, the chapter good. But of the seven, only David Pearce could be called top.
Thanks to Donna for exposing yet more lies. May the IPCC leaders start telling the truth.
UPDATE: #5 was added. Donna highlights another lie. Here's the truth: I'm younger than Richard Klein, and I was a CLA before him. See Donna #6.

2 comments:

  1. "I'm younger than Richard Klein, and I was a CLA before him."

    Impressive credentials, under ordinary circumstances, but gives me little confidence in the IPCC, for some reason. Sort of like being awed and frightened at the same time by a 10-year old bus driver.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Jorge
    Work should be judged on its merits rather than by its maker.

    The scandalous part is the IPCC claim that I was a "top scientist" at that time. I was not. I was a young guy trying to build a career.

    ReplyDelete