The State of Climate Science

With the international climate change talks in Copenhagen fast approaching, there is real urgency to reach diplomatic consensus on a planetary solution. In a hearing on Wednesday December 2, 2009, the Select Committee explored with climate scientists from the Obama administration the urgent, consensus view on our planetary problem: that global warming is real, and the science indicates that it is getting worse.

At the hearing, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) hosted two of America’s preeminent climate scientists, Dr. John Holdren and Dr. Jane Lubchenco.

Dr. Holdren is the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and was formerly a professor at Harvard University and the director of the acclaimed Woods Hole Research Center.

Dr. Lubchenco is the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States’ leading climate office.

The past decade has been the hottest in recorded history, with all of the years since 2001 being in the top 10 of hottest, according to NASA. This summer, the world’s oceans were the warmest in NOAA’s 130 years of record-keeping. Meanwhile, global heat-trapping pollution continues to rise.

WHAT: Select Committee hearing on the State of Climate Science

WHEN: Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

WHERE: US House Capitol Complex

OPENING STATEMENT:  Chairman Edward J. Markey

WITNESSES List and Testimony:
Dr. John Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Click here for full hearing transcript.

VIDEO:

Full video archive of hearing part 1 of 2.

Full video archive of hearing part 2 of 2.

Full video of this hearing is available:
CLICK HERE to download part 1
CLICK HERE to download part 2
Note: in Internet Explorer (PC) RIGHT CLICK on the link (CTRL + CLICK on a Mac) then choose 'Save Target As'

Dr. Holdren's Opening Statement

Chairman Markey's Closing Statement

Congressman Inslee's Question and Answer period

Dr. Lubchenco gives a demonstration of the science of ocean acidification - Part 1

Dr. Lubchenco gives a demonstration of the science of ocean acidification - Part 2

PHOTOS

Chairman Ed Markey with Dr. John Holdren and Dr. Jane Lubchenco

Dr. Lubchenco demonstrates the effects of carbon dioxide in water

Dr. Holdren testifies before the Select Committee

Chairman Markey provides analogy between steroid use in MLB and CO2 in the atmosphere

Dr. Lubchenco testifies before the Select Committee

Representation of global ocean acidity from 1775 to 2100

Dr. Lubchenco and Dr. Holdren testify before the Select Committee

Members listen to Dr. Lubchenco's testimony

Dr. Lubchenco's ocean acidification demonstration

Chairman Markey discusses the change in annual global temperatures

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