Scientists are planning to march on Washington. Here's why

Scientists in the United States are mobilising to organise a March for Science. What originated online as a discussion about how to push back against the anti-science stance of Donald Trump’s administration rapidly gathered support from concerned scientists and non-scientists alike. A march on Washington similar to the Women’s March was proposed, and within 24 hours the group’s Twitter account had gained an additional 124,000 followers. Over half a million people have also joined a new Facebook page, which has become a hive of comments, suggestions and coordination. An event in the US capital is planned for March, with activities occurring in other countries.

The group’s mission statement begins with “There are certain things that we accept as facts … The Earth is becoming warmer due to human action. The diversity of life arose by evolution”. Both president Trump and vice president Pence have expressed scepticism about humans’ role in global warming and the theory of evolution. But what is prompting scientists to come out of the lab and onto the streets is that these sentiments are being rapidly translated into actions by the new administration.

According to documents obtained by a number of news agencies, staff at the Environmental Protection Agency, and the departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services have been ordered not to send out news releases, create new blog entries or update official website content. They also must seek agreement from senior officials before speaking to the media and in some instances Congress. This prompted a group of US Senators to write to President Trump to remind him that it is against the law to interfere with federal employees’ communications to Congress.

The National Parks Service was temporarily banned from tweeting after retweeting images comparing Trump and Obama’s inaugurations. In a show of resistance, the official Twitter account of Badlands National Park appeared to go rogue, posting a now-deleted series of tweets stating well-established facts about climate change. Other park accounts have also sent out climate-related tweets that appear to defy Trump. These actions follow on from Energy Department managers being contacted by Trump’s transition team in order to identify individuals who have taken part in international climate talks over the past five years.

I contacted four US scientists to understand their reactions to these developments, and to find out why they are prepared to march for science.

Elizabeth Hadly, professor of biology, geological and environmental sciences at Stanford University, has spent more than 30 years studying the impacts of environmental change on animal biodiversity. She explained that “scientists have battled the political and ideological forces against concepts such as evolution and climate change for years. We have patiently articulated the physical and biological laws governing the universe, assembled the data, and presented it in the pages of journals, at public seminars, to the halls of Congress. What is occurring now against science and scientists in the US goes beyond ideology and political party. Now we find our discourse under attack.”

Read more https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2017/jan/27/scientists-are-planning-to-march-on-washington-heres-why

Courtesy of Guardian News & Media Ltd