Good to see UW engaged in Paris climate summit

While the Badger state's leading right-wing elected officials are doing all they can to obstruct clean air and green energy initiatives - - by fighting federal greenhouse gas emission limitations, and wind farm sitings and affordable solar installations, and climate change discussion- - it's a relief to see UW Madison scientists, staffers, faculty and state private sector leaders engaged in the Paris climate summit.

The optimism is palpable,” University of Wisconsin law professor Sumudu Atapattu said, speaking live via teleconference from the COP21 conference on climate change in Paris to about 200 environmental activists and interested citizens gathered Thursday at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery in Madison. 

Atapattu’s sense of optimism permeated “Live from Paris,” featuring a panel of five Wisconsinites representing health, law, business and science convened by the Wiscnsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters and the UW-Madison Global Health Institute. 

Which is what UW scientists and faculty are supposed to do - - lead, participate, collaborate - - Robin Vos' anti-science crusade and Scott Walker's hostility to the Madison campus and to renewable energy not withstanding.

The UW activity is an important - - even brave- - exercise of good science, academic freedom and the Wisconsin Idea - - all under attack by the ruling party which went out of its way in the last budget to slash higher ed funding, upend tenure, diminish science programs and warp the UW's historic public service role.