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Published online 22 December 2008 | 457, 10-11 (2009) | doi:10.1038/457010a
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Obama's picks underline climate focus
Strong roles for biologists as the president-elect chooses his science and technology team.
John Holdren, a leading voice on climate change at Harvard University, will serve as science adviser to US president-elect Barack Obama. And Jane Lubchenco, a strong advocate of marine conservation at Oregon State University in Corvallis, will head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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well most of us can't wait for Obama to start in january. its good to know that he plans to hit the ground running.
Holdren is probably the best qualified scientist Obama could possibly find. As a Professor at UC-Berkeley, Holdren wrote Human Ecology (1973), a classic, co-authored with Stanford's Paul (and Anne) Ehrlich! Read it! It is written at a time when there was alot less people on Spaceship Earth and alot less fossil fuels consumed, but the ideas are sound: 1. Considering present technology and patterns of human behavior, our planet is grossly overpopulated. Between 2 and 3 billion people are not being properly cared for now. Under such circumstances, the contention of some that many more people can be easily and properly cared for in the near future is preposterous. When every human being has abundant and varied food, ade quate clothing and shelter, first-rate medical care, ample educational oppor tunity, and freedom from war and tyranny, then perhaps consideration of whether more people can be given first-class accommodation on Spaceship Earth will be appropriate.
The new president must have three agencies working closely together for one key purpose: monitor and model specific air pollutants for their collective and exceptionally deleterious impact on human and environmental health. NASA NOAA US Geological Survey Funding for the latter two must rise somewhat, to shore up basic agency infrastructure, and that means hiring *competent* IT support staff. Funding allocated for improved collaboration with the European Space Agency for global satellite coverage, modeling and real-time reporting of exceptional readings is HIGHLY recommended. You'll understand why, shortly.