Peter Gleick, a water expert at the Pacific Institute in California, took issue this morning with the issue of consensus in science. His advice on how to deal with politicians and the public:

Don’t say: ‘Climate change is a big problem because most climate scientists agree it is a big problem.’

Say instead: ‘Most climate scientists think climate change is a big problem because the best science available has convinced them it’s a problem.’

It’s a subtle argument, but a good one that is often lost in the public and political hoopla about what to do over climate change. Yes, consensus in science is a good thing to know about — but just saying a lot of scientists believe in Position X doesn’t make Position X right.