There are a lot of c.v.’s being updated today! The two thousand scientists who make up the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have won the Nobel Peace Prize! (Oh, and some layman named Al Gore has won it with them.)
This is such great news, and not only because it focuses international attention on global climate change. It also says that the world recognizes and appreciates solid science that does service to humanity. It recognizes scientific collaboration and the meaning of consensus in science. It suggests that scientists who talk about the political implications of their work may be honored for doing so.
It’s also great that Al Gore was singled out in this year’s prize. Imagine the message this sends: that politicians who care about science also care about peace and humanity. That politicians who do substantial and meaningful public science education are heros!
What a great day.
Now we just have to do something about that little problem of global climate change….