AAAS the World Turns

Leading science organization takes a stand on climate change

For the first time, the influential American Association for the Advancement of Science has weighed in on climate change. The verdict: it's bad. "The scientific evidence is clear," says a statement issued this weekend by the association, which publishes the journal Science. "Global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now and it is a growing threat to society." Pointing to retreating glaciers, rising sea levels, extreme weather, and unusually high atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, the 159-year-old society -- made up of 262 affiliated groups -- called for stronger political leadership at all levels, and quick-like. "The longer we wait to tackle climate change, the harder and more expensive the task will be," it said. Research scientist Susanne Moser called the AAAS release "a continuation of the confirming and reaffirming and underlining of the consensus of mainstream science on climate change." And if that doesn't make for exciting news, we don't know what does.