Congress votes down National Climate Service

Washington Post : Congress has refused a request by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish a National Climate Service , even though no new funding was required, writes Brian Vastag for the Washington Post. According to the NOAA website, the climate service would have provided “a single, reliable and authoritative source for climate data, information and decision-support services to help individuals, businesses, communities and governments make smart choices in anticipation of a climate changed future.” Demand for climate information has been growing. Between 2009 and 2010, the amount of climate data retrieved from NOAA websites shot up 86%, and climate-related phone calls and emails jumped from 26 000 to 30 000. But several House Republicans believe that the climate service “could become little propaganda sources instead of a science source,” according to Representative Andy Harris (R-MD). Christine McEntee, executive director of the American Geophysical Union , expressed her disappointment in the decision: “We think it’s very unfortunate. Limiting access to this kind of climate information won’t make climate change go away.”