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Several prominent scientists have defended their peers from Adanigroup group attacks and compliant media, claiming that defamation of experts was "morally reprehensible".
On Friday, Adani launched a pre-emptive strike against the Queensland government and the authors of an independent report, which has not yet been finalized, on the company's plans to protect the endangered blackfinchfinch on the Carmichael mine site.
On the same day, Jeyakumar Janakraj, the company's chief mining officer, told SBS Punjabi that the Carmichael mine would be "extremely beneficial" to global climate change.
However, as the debate on the Adani plan becomes hyperbolic, scientists say that attacks on their credibility by special interests are becoming more and more common and problematic. In an open letter, signed by several eminent researchers, they claim that "incessant, defamatory and defamatory" attacks against scientists undermine the role of science in decision-making.
"The attacks consisted of unsubstantiated efforts to discredit people instead of solving the underlying problems," the letter said.
"Although the treatment reserved for scientists involved in the Adani review may seem shocking, it is one of many examples of people with vested interests who undermine the role of experts in our discourse. and our decision making.
"We are seeing a clear loss of confidence in science around the world, under the impulse of entities that do not want the evidence to be evaluated and who do not want the frank and intrepid advice that scientists will give to scientists. who will make the decision in the end. .
"Scientists can provide crucial information, evidence and badysis to support difficult decisions. It is true that scientists can bring values to their work, but these include attributes such as accuracy, honesty and transparency. Those who doubt that scientists are the right people to examine the scientific evidence underlying the contested political decisions may have an interest in determining who would be best placed to do so and what their motives are.
Adani had previously sought to discredit the scientists who had led the review of the Blackthroat Finch Management Plan, which requires the Queensland Government's approval as an environmental condition of the Carmichael Coal Mine.
After showing a rough draft of the magazine, Adani leaked details to News Corp's newspapers and launched a preemptive attempt to reduce the preliminary findings.
The company said the report "reads like an anti-coal, anti-mining and anti-Adani lobbying brochure", and contains unspecified mistakes. In a statement, he reiterated his calls for the Queensland government to simply finalize its management plan, on which environmentalists and ecologists have serious concerns.
Queensland Deputy Prime Minister Jackie Trad said the company had had the opportunity to give its opinion and participate in the review.
"If they do not like this process, the alternative is to do what they do and lead a political campaign," Trad told reporters in Townsville on Friday.
His comments were a rare rebuke from a government that failed to respond to complaints and growing pressure from Adani, including an anti-government advertising campaign.
The publicity of the company requires the final approval of the government. Another outstanding plan for the management of groundwater dependent ecosystems would require considerable additional work.
This plan is also subject to external review by scientists from CSIRO and Geosciences Australia, although the company has not been so openly critical of this process.
Lock the Gate Alliance coordinator Carmel Flint said Adani's "tantrum" about the chaffinch was a "Trojan horse" attack, designed to divert attention away from groundwater issues .
Polls commissioned by Lock the Gate last year have shown significant concern among residents of regional communities regarding water security.
"Adani has now submitted 10 versions of the water plan to the state government, but is no closer to locating the source of the ancient wetlands of the Great Artesian Basin source that are likely to Dry out as a result of the projected mine, "Flint said.
"Adani knows how important the water and the sources of the Great Artesian Basin are to Australians, which is why she is very worried about the chaffinch, but remained silent about the failures of her plan. hydrological. "
Jo-Anne Bragg, general manager and attorney at the Queensland Environmental Defender's Office, said acceptance of Finch's management plan was a prerequisite for Adani's approval of the Carmichael mine.
"We have heard the politicians and Adani constantly point out that the project was subject to a detailed badessment and was subject to many difficult conditions. This is the basis on which it was approved, "said Bragg.
Adani said Friday in his statement that he had written to the Queensland government to "reiterate our serious concerns" regarding the review process and the draft report.
"If the Queensland government accepts any part of this report, it means that the work done by their department over the last 18 months is, at best, incompetent and, at worst, uses a diligent delaying tactic to slow down the realization. Carmichael Project and the thousands of jobs that it will provide in the process. "
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