A real American Heroe - By Robb

This morning I watched the beginning episode in a new series by Dr. Iain Stewart. He has produced some wonderful earth science programs for the BBC. His new one is specifically about Climate Change. This first episode details the history of the debate and the science. I was gratified to see Dr. James Hansen making commentary, both in 1988 before congress and today for this series. Then I found this article in the Independent online.

Nasa scientist appears in court to fan the flames of coal power station row

By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor
Thursday, 4 September 2008

"Prof James Hansen: Urged Gordon Brown to refuse planning application to build new coal-fired units at the Kingsnorth plant in Hoo, Kent"

You can read the whole article at

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/nasa-scientist-appears-in-court-to-fan-the-flames-of-coal-power-station-row-918057.html

Here are some highlights

"Professor James Hansen gave evidence at Maidstone Crown Court in the case of six Greenpeace members who scaled a 630ft chimney at the Kingsnorth plant in Hoo, Kent, last October in protest against plans to build new coal-fired units there.

Greenpeace argues that under the Criminal Damage Act 1971, its activists had a "lawful excuse" to cause the damage because they were seeking to prevent even greater damage being caused to property – such as flooding from rising sea levels and damage to species caused by climate change.

'Somebody needs to stand up and take a leadership role," Prof Hansen said. "It is an opportunity for the Prime Minister. If we are to avoid disintegration of the ice sheets, minimise species extiction and halt or reverse... climate change there is just time to accomplish it, but it requires an immediate moratorium on new coal-fired power plants that do not capture or sequester CO2.' "

It's gratifying to see this stalwart defender of sanity in the British media, even more gratifying to me personally because he is an American, a countryman of mine. So often Americans show up over here when they do something dopey and greedy, ie, Paris, Britney, George W, or pushy and arrogant, ie, Donald T, Dick Cheney, George W, or down right scary and stupid, ie, George W and Dick Cheney.

It's so nice to see an American doing something decent and principled in a very visible way. It's about time we had a real American Heroe. Thanks Dr. Hansen.