Results of the Climategate Parliamentary Inquiry in the UK

This is the final report, which has been embargoed until 5:01 PM PDT / 00:01 GMT March 31st.

Below is the emailed notice to MP’s sent with the PDF of the report.

Date: 30 March 2010 10:30

Subject: EMBARGOED REPORT: CLIMATE SCIENCE MUST BECOME MORE TRANSPARENT SAY MPs

To: [undisclosed recipients]

Phil Willis MP, Committee Chair, is available for embargoed interviews today. Please let me know if you wish to bid (I will be at the embargoed briefing until approx 1pm but will respond once I return).

Embargoed press briefing for science, environment and news corrs at Science Media Centre (21 Albemarle Street London, W1S 4BS), 11.30 am today.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Select Committee Announcement

[X]

31 March 2010

***EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH 2010***

CLIMATE SCIENCE MUST BECOME MORE TRANSPARENT, SAY MPs

The Science and Technology Committee today publishes its report on the disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia. The Committee calls for the climate science

community to become more transparent by publishing raw data and detailed methodologies.

Phil Willis MP, Committee Chair, said:

“Climate science is a matter of global importance. On the basis of the science, governments across the world will be spending trillions of pounds on climate change mitigation. The quality of the science therefore has to be irreproachable. What this inquiry revealed was that climate scientists need to take steps to make available all the data that support their work and full methodological workings, including their computer codes. Had both been available, many of the problems at CRU could have been avoided.”

The focus on Professor Jones and CRU has been largely misplaced. On the accusations relating to Professor Jones’s refusal to share raw data and computer codes, the Committee considers that his actions were in line with common practice in the climate science community but that those practices need to change.

On the much cited phrases in the leaked e-mails-“trick” and “hiding the decline”-the Committee considers that they were colloquial terms used in private e-mails and the balance of evidence is that they were not part of a

systematic attempt to mislead.

Insofar as the Committee was able to consider accusations of dishonesty against CRU, the Committee considers that there is no case to answer.

The Committee found no reason in this inquiry to challenge the scientific consensus as expressed by Professor Beddington, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, that “global warming is happening [and] that it is induced by human activity”. But this was not an inquiry into the science produced by CRU and it will be for the Scientific Appraisal Panel, announced by the University on 22 March, to determine whether the work of CRU has been soundly built.

On the mishandling of Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, the Committee considers that much of the responsibility should lie with the University, not CRU. The leaked e-mails appear to show a culture of non-disclosure at CRU and instances where information may have been deleted to avoid disclosure, particularly to climate change sceptics. The failure of the University to grasp fully the potential damage this could do and did was regrettable. The University needs to re-assess how it can

support academics whose expertise in FoI requests is limited.

Ends.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Further details about this inquiry can be found at:

http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_technology/s_t_cru_inquiry.cfm

Media Enquiries: Becky Jones: 020 7219 5693 Committee Website:

http://www.parliament.uk/science Publications / Reports / Reference

Material: Copies of all select committee reports are available from the

Parliamentary Bookshop (12 Bridge St, Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the

Stationery Office (0845 7023474). Committee reports, press releases,

evidence transcripts, Bills; research papers, a directory of MPs, plus

Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can be found on

www.parliament.uk<http://www.parliament.uk/>.

Rebecca Jones

House of Commons Select Committee Media Officer Children, Schools &

Families; Health; Science & Technology; Northern Ireland; Scotland; Wales

===================================================

UPDATE:

Steve McIntyre has a few points to make, which I encourage reading here at Climate Audit