‘Climategate’ scientists cleared

Climate change scientists have been cleared of misleading the public about their work, but have been warned to make their findings clearer in the future.


Emails were stolen from the University of east Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit, which appeared to show scientists selectively using data which fitted their theories while ignoring information which did not match.

The Independent Climate Change Email Review was carried out by Sir Muir Russell and reported yesterday (July 7).

The review found the CRU team, led by Professor Phil Jones, worked with ‘rigour and honesty’, but their responses to ‘reasonable requests for information’ were ‘unhelpful and defensive’.

Professor Jones, who has been suspended since the review began earlier this year, said: “I am, of course, extremely relieved that this review has now been completed.

“We have maintained all along that our science is honest and sound and this has been vindicated now by three different independent external bodies.

“There are lessons to be learned from this affair and I need time to reflect on them before speaking in public, particularly given the scope of this report.”

The university’s vice-chancellor prof Edward Acton added: “Nine months ago there was an unjustified attack on the scientific integrity of researchers at the University of East Anglia and, as a result, on climate science as a whole.

“Emails stolen from this university were selectively misused to make serious allegations about the work of the Climatic Research Unit and the people who worked there or were connected to it.

“Some people accepted those misrepresentations at face value without question and repeated them as fact.

“For the third and hopefully for the final time, an exhaustive independent review has exposed as unfounded the overwhelming thrust of the allegations against our science.”

Luke Walsh

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe