Saturday, April 25, 2009

New Zealand climate scientist fired for unapproved comments

Jim SalingerA top New Zealand climate scientist whose work contributed to a Nobel Peace prize was fired from his job at a state-funded agency Friday for speaking to the media without approval.

Jim Salinger was let go for breaching a new policy at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research requiring scientists to have prior approval before speaking to media. …

TV One News said Niwa had accused Salinger of "serious misconduct" after he took part in a program the channel produced about glaciers. …

Salinger, who has frequently appeared on TV and spoken to the media about climate change, was a member of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that, together with former U.S vice president Al Gore, won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

New Zealand's Green Party said Salinger was dismissed for helping state-owned channel Television New Zealand with climate inquiries.

"An investigation is needed into how it came to be that one of New Zealand's foremost scientists was frog-marched out of his job for what appears to be trivial and petty reasons," said Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons. …

NZ climate scientist fired for unapproved comments

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