You are likely aware that the Bush-Cheney Administration put a fossil-foolish lobbyist in a position to edit and change material like Federal government climate change reports.
The man — the whistle-blower — who brought this to our attention: Rick Piltz.
From 1995-2005 he held senior positions in the Coordination Office of the U.S. Global Change Research Program. In the spring of 2005, Rick resigned from his position to protest the Bush Administration’s political interference with climate change communication. His whistleblower documentation of politically motivated White House editing and censorship of climate science program reports intended for the public and Congress received front-page coverage in the New York Times and was widely reported in the media.
Rick’s value and contributions cannot be constrained to ‘whistle blower’, as important as that was to our national conversation. Despite the vicious attacks he received from the climate science denial world, he persevered. He was a powerful climate thinker and communicator. Here is Rick outside the White House at the 10/10/10 event.
Rick was also an incredible decent and pleasant person. As I phrased it to the person who let me know,
I regret not having ever taken the chance to tell him, directly, how much I respected him.
We rarely had face-to-face discussions (walking climate protests together, before / after conference sessions, etc …) and each time I regretted that I did have more time with him.
Warm, thoughtful & insightful, mentoring, passionate (about the right issues), …
Yes a loss for all …
A man of deep integrity, of deep insight, of deep kindness …
Rick knew, more than most, how serious the climate situation is.
Rick knew, more than most, the internecine reality of the American political and bureaucratic environment that made progress so difficult.
Rick persevered in fighting for truth in climate science discussions and, based on that truthful understanding, for meaningful actions to address our challenges.
My world is not better for Rick’s passing.
Our world is not better …
We have lost a true mensch, a #Climate hero. #RickPiltz (@ClimateSciWatch) has passed away. http://t.co/YJHAbwAc2E #ClimateScience #Science
— A Siegel (@A_Siegel) October 18, 2014
Obituaries
- DR Tucker Obituary: The Face of Courage.
