Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Integrity in science

The recent frenzy regarding the demand for resignation of IPCC chairman(?) Dr.Pachuri over errors on its report caught my attention.This post is neutral regarding the climate change phenomenon.But i try to think out loud my views on this issue.

Here is a brief on the issue .The problem is the IPCC in its report (http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch10s10-6-2.html) predicted that tis highly probable that Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035.These were based on report by " Syed Hasnain" of JNU Delhi in New scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg16221893.000-flooded-out.html)
Chk here for a detailed explanation(http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/index.php/csw/details/ipcc_slips_on_the_ice/).I havnt gone through this fully.(Sue me for being lazy.)

The point is the IPCC report was containing a statement not made on facts.It was loose talk.The article being scientific report is to be perfect.This error in my view is equivalent morally to a petty crime, a con job. So now is who is to be held responsible for this error.Should it be the person (Hasnain) who made a careless statement(I assume) or the reporter (Pearce) and the magazine (New scientist) who published the article without verifying the facts,or the scientists at various positions whose assent was given before the final IPCC document was made including reviewers and the chairman also.In what proportions they share the responsibility of the error and how they are going to be accountable to this....I am unsure.Logical views on what should be done over this are welcome..