LIBERAL senator Cory Bernardi has questioned why a national scientific program for children appears to be teaching only one side of the climate change debate.
During a Senate estimates hearing today, the South Australian senator quizzed the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) about the content of its Carbon Kids program.
Senator Bernardi said the program contained a note for teachers which said climate change was a complicated topic many found “daunting and confusing” and could be controversial, leading to many different opinions.
“Yet the information that is produced and distributed to schoolchildren appears only to present a single opinion about what is driving climate change,” he said.
“How can you explain that given that the explanatory note for teachers says it leads to many different opinions?”
He said the material contained a number of statements which lead to a single conclusion, that carbon dioxide was virtually solely responsible for driving climate change and presented a range of “apocalyptic scenarios”.
The CSIRO’s deputy chief executive for operations Mike Whelan said he had not personally seen the material, but envisaged that the program would be consistent with comments made to teachers.
He told the senate committee the program had only become his responsibility three weeks ago, but he would examine the material. (AAP)
Climate change kit for kids ‘apocalyptic’
The CSIRO will review its new climate change education program for schools following claims made in Senate estimates today that the material is biased and frightens children by offering ‘‘an apocalyptic scenario.’’
South Australian Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi said the CSIRO’s Carbon Kids education kit was ‘‘designed to scare kids’’ about future impacts of climate change.It painted a frightening picture for children of a world where rising temperatures had created jobs losses and food scarcity, he said. The kit had ‘‘cherry-picked facts’’, offered no discussions of alternative views, and ignored positive steps such as future development of green jobs.
‘‘It’s telling children there’s going to be some sort of apocalypse – that’s my word, and it’s intentionally provocative,’’ he said.
‘‘Kids shouldn’t be driven to conclusions deliberately.’’
The carbon Kids pilot program is being run in more than 170 schools, and was designed to help primary and middle school students develop an understanding of climate change. The program is funded by global chemical company, Bayer.
The CSIRO’s deputy chief executive, Mike Whelan said the kit was based on peer-reviewed science, ‘‘and not designed to stimulate one view or another.’’ But in response to questions from Senator Bernardi, Mr Whelan admitted he had not seen the kit.
‘‘We are happy to review the material in the program,’’ he said. (Canberra Times)
