Suspending the scientist in the Arctic that exposed climate threat to polar bears

Charles Monnett co-paper about the dangers of polar bears drowned due to the melting of Arctic sea ice galvanized activists concerned about climate change. Photography: Subhankar Banerjee/AP

It was seen as one of the most painful effects of the climate registered: polar bears die of exhaustion after being stranded between patches of melting of sea ice in the Arctic.

But now the scientist of the Government that first warned of the threat to polar bears in a warming of the Arctic has been suspended and their work placed under formal investigation for possible scientific misconduct.

Charles Monnett, a wildlife biologist, oversaw much of the scientific work of the Agency of the Government, which has been considering drilling in the Arctic. It managed about $ 50 million (￡ 30. 5 m) in research projects.

Some question by what Monnett, employed by the US Office of ocean energy, regulation and enforcement, management has been suspended at this time. The Obama administration has been accused of sniff the scientist, so it can open the fragile region of drilling by Shell and other big oil companies.

"" It must be asked: is the uncle of the science in the Arctic and is being suspended now as an arm of the Department of interior is preparing its decision on drilling costa out in the Arctic seas, "said Jeff Ruch, Chairman of the public employees for environmental responsibility.""This is a precaution with a deeply chilling message for any federal scientist who dares to publish a research pioneer on conditions in the Arctic".

The Group submitted an official complaint on behalf of the Monnett Thursday, accusing the Government pursue the scientific (PDF) and interfere with his work. He seeks reinstatement and a public apology.

Monnett was on a flight of monitoring whale research, in 2004, when he and his colleagues saw four dead polar bears floating in the water after a storm. Scientists completed the bears, though normally strong swimmers, grew exhausted and drowning due to the long distance between patches of solid ice. It was the first time scientists had established a link between melting of sea ice in the Arctic and a threat to the survival of the bears.

Two years later, Monnett and a colleague published an article in the magazine scientific Polar biology, writing: "Drowning deaths of polar bears may increase in future if it continues the observed trend of regression of ice or over open water sessions."

Quickly, the ledger public concern about the polar bear. Al Gore, citing the document, used footage of polar bears in his film inconvenient truth. Activists focused on the bears to push George Bush to act on climate change, and in 2008, the Government appointed the animal an endangered species.

It was the first animal to be classified as a victim of climate change.

In 2010, the administration of Obama began an investigation on his work. The scientist was suspended with pay on July 18. It is said that under a gag order and banned from communicating with his colleagues. The employee group complaint alleges that research is a barely veiled attempt to disrupt the scientific work in the Arctic.

Oil companies, who want to deepen in the pristine environment of the Chukchi and Beaufort Sea, have been complaining about delays caused by environmental effects. This month Obama issued an order to expedite the Arctic drilling permits.

A spokesman for the Office of energy ocean management of regulation and compliance (Boemre) said that the Government will continue to carry out research on the potential impacts of drilling in the Arctic, despite the suspension of the Monnett.

"All science contracts previously managed by Mr Monnett are managed by highly skilled Boemre, scientists" Melissa Schwartz said in an e-mail. He pointed out that research was being monitored by the inspector-general, which is independent, and carried out in accordance with the new guidelines on scientific integrity in the Administration Obama.

However, Peer argues that exercise intended to discredit the brief article of Monnett on the polar bear.

Other organizations also accused the Government agency of a long history of meddling in science. A report of 2009 by the Government Accountability Office found huge gaps in the research of the Boemre on the impact of drilling in the Arctic. And the natural areas of Alaska League declared: "Alaska Boemre has continued to ignore the science and traditional knowledge in decision-making on development of oil and gas".

Documents on the Web site of the League include a transcript of a conversation between researchers and Jeffrey Gleason, another Government Scientist in the trip of 2004. Gleason, who works for the Government, in the Gulf of Mexico, said that does not necessarily share the conclusions of Monnett polar bears were killed as a result of climate change. "It is something along the lines of the changing environment in the Arctic," he was quoted as saying.

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