Michael Crichton on Climate Alarmism in 2005: ‘In an Information Society, Public Safety Depends on the Integrity of Public Information’

EXCERPT:

CRICHTON: “Senator Boxer says that we need science fact, and I completely agree. But the unavoidable truth is that a prediction is never a fact. In any case, if policymakers decide to weight their decisions in favor of verified research, that will provoke an effort by climate scientists to demonstrate their concerns using objectively verifiable data. I think we will all be better for it. In closing, I want to state emphatically that nothing in my remarks should be taken to imply that we can ignore our environment or that we should not take climate change seriously. On the contrary, we must dramatically improve our record on environmental management. That is why a focused effort on climate science aimed at securing a sound, independently verified answers to policy questions is so important now.    I would remind the committee that in the end it is the proper function of government to set standards for the integrity of information it uses to make policy. Those who argue that government should refrain from mandating quality standards for scientific research — and that includes some professional organizations — are merely self-serving. In an information society, public safety depends on the integrity of public information. Only government can perform that task.