UPDATE: Response from CRU in interview with another website, see end of this post.
The details on this are still sketchy, we’ll probably never know what went on. But it appears that University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit has been hacked and many many files have been released by the hacker or person unknown.
UPDATED: Original image was for Met Office – corrected This image source: www.cru.uea.ac.uk
I’m currently traveling and writing this from an airport, but here is what I know so far:
An unknown person put postings on some climate skeptic websites that advertised an FTP file on a Russian FTP server, here is the message that was placed on the Air Vent today:
We feel that climate science is, in the current situation, too important to
be kept under wraps.
We hereby release a random selection of correspondence, code, and documents
The file was large, about 61 megabytes, containing hundreds of files.
It contained data, code, and emails from Phil Jones at CRU to and from many people.
I’ve seen the file, it appears to be genuine and from CRU. Others who have seen it concur- it appears genuine. There are so many files it appears unlikely that it is a hoax. The effort would be too great.
Here is some of the emails just posted at Climate Audit on this thread:
http://www.climateaudit.org/?p=7801#comments
I’ve redacted email addresses and direct phone numbers for the moment. The emails all have US public universities in the email addresses, making them public/FOIA actionable I believe.
From: Phil Jones
To: mann@vxxxxx.xxx
Subject: Fwd: John L. Daly dead
Date: Thu Jan 29 14:17:01 2004
From: Timo H‰meranta
To:
Subject: John L. Daly dead
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 12:04:28 +0200
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4510
Importance: Normal
Mike,
In an odd way this is cheering news ! One other thing about the CC paper – just found
another email – is that McKittrick says it is standard practice in Econometrics journals
to give all the data and codes !! According to legal advice IPR overrides this.
Cheers
Phil
“It is with deep sadness that the Daly Family have to announce the sudden death of John
Daly.Condolences may be sent to John’s email account (daly@john-daly.com)
“
Reported with great sadness
Timo H‰meranta
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Timo H‰meranta, LL.M.
Moderator, Climatesceptics
Martinlaaksontie 42 B 9
01620 Vantaa
Finland, Member State of the European Union
Moderator: timohame@yxxxxx.xxx
Private: timo.hameranta@xxxxx.xx
Home page: [1]personal.inet.fi/koti/hameranta/climate.htm
Moderator of the discussion group “Sceptical Climate Science”
[2]groups.yahoo.com/group/climatesceptics
“To dwell only on horror scenarios of the future
shows only a lack of imagination”. (Kari Enqvist)
“If the facts change, I’ll change my opinion.
What do you do, Sir” (John Maynard Keynes)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Prof. Phil Jones
Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0)xxxxxx
School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) xxxxxx
University of East Anglia
Norwich Email p.jones@xxx.xx.xx
NR4 7TJ
UK
—————————————————————————-
References
1. http://personal.inet.fi/koti/hameranta/climate.htm
2. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/climatesceptics
From: Phil Jones
To: ray bradley ,mann@xxxxx.xxx, mhughes@xxxx.xxx
Subject: Diagram for WMO Statement
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 13:31:15 +0000
Cc: k.briffa@xxx.xx.xx,t.osborn@xxxx.xxx
Dear Ray, Mike and Malcolm,
Once Tim’s got a diagram here we’ll send that either later today or
first thing tomorrow.
I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature trick of adding in the real temps
to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) amd from
1961 for Keith’s to hide the decline. Mike’s series got the annual
land and marine values while the other two got April-Sept for NH land
N of 20N. The latter two are real for 1999, while the estimate for 1999
for NH combined is +0.44C wrt 61-90. The Global estimate for 1999 with
data through Oct is +0.35C cf. 0.57 for 1998.
Thanks for the comments, Ray.
Cheers
Phil
Prof. Phil Jones
Climatic Research Unit Telephone +44 (0) xxxxx
School of Environmental Sciences Fax +44 (0) xxxx
University of East Anglia
Norwich Email p.jones@xxxx.xxx
NR4 7TJ
UK
—————————————————————————-
From: Jonathan Overpeck
To: “Michael E. Mann”
Subject: letter to Senate
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 16:49:31 -0700
Cc: Caspar M Ammann , Raymond Bradley , Keith Briffa , Tom Crowley , Malcolm Hughes , Phil Jones , mann@xxxxx.xxx, jto@xxxxx.xx.xxx, omichael@xxxxx.xxx, Tim Osborn , Kevin Trenberth , Tom Wigley
Hi all – I’m not too comfortable with this, and would rather not sign – at least not
without some real time to think it through and debate the issue. It is unprecedented and
political, and that worries me.
My vote would be that we don’t do this without a careful discussion first.
I think it would be more appropriate for the AGU or some other scientific org to do this –
e.g., in reaffirmation of the AGU statement (or whatever it’s called) on global climate
change.
Think about the next step – someone sends another letter to the Senators, then we respond,
then…
I’m not sure we want to go down this path. It would be much better for the AGU etc to do
it.
What are the precedents and outcomes of similar actions? I can imagine a special-interest
org or group doing this like all sorts of other political actions, but is it something for
scientists to do as individuals?
Just seems strange, and for that reason I’d advise against doing anything with out real
thought, and certainly a strong majority of co-authors in support.
Cheers, Peck
Dear fellow Eos co-authors,
Given the continued assault on the science of climate change by some on Capitol Hill,
Michael and I thought it would be worthwhile to send this letter to various members of
the U.S. Senate, accompanied by a copy of our Eos article.
Can we ask you to consider signing on with Michael and me (providing your preferred
title and affiliation). We would like to get this out ASAP.
Thanks in advance,
Michael M and Michael O
______________________________________________________________
Professor Michael E. Mann
Department of Environmental Sciences, Clark Hall
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22903
_______________________________________________________________________
e-mail: mann@xxxxxx.xxx Phone: (434) 924-7770 FAX: (434) xxx-xxxxx
http://www.evsc.virginia.edu/faculty/people/mann.shtml
Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:EOS.senate letter-final.doc (WDBN/MSWD) (00055FCF)
–
Jonathan T. Overpeck
Director, Institute for the Study of Planet Earth
Professor, Department of Geosciences
Mail and Fedex Address:
Institute for the Study of Planet Earth
715 N. Park Ave. 2nd Floor
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721
direct tel: +xxxx
fax: +1 520 792-8795
http://www.geo.arizona.edu/Faculty_Pages/Overpeck.J.html http://www.ispe.arizona.edu/
It appears that the proverbial Climate Science Cat is out of the bag.
Developing story – more later
UPDATE1: Steve McIntyre posted this on Climate Audit, I used a screen cap rtaher than direct link becuase CA is overloaded and slow at the moment.
UPDATE2: Response from CRU h/t to WUWT reader “Nev”
http://briefingroom.typepad.com/the_briefing_room/2009/11/hadleycru-says-leaked-data-is-real.html
The director of Britain’s leading Climate Research Unit, Phil Jones, has told Investigate magazine’s TGIF Edition tonight that his organization has been hacked, and the data flying all over the internet appears to be genuine.
In an exclusive interview, Jones told TGIF, “It was a hacker. We were aware of this about three or four days ago that someone had hacked into our system and taken and copied loads of data files and emails.”
“Have you alerted police”
“Not yet. We were not aware of what had been taken.”
Jones says he was first tipped off to the security breach by colleagues at the website RealClimate.
“Real Climate were given information, but took it down off their site and told me they would send it across to me. They didn’t do that. I only found out it had been released five minutes ago.”
TGIF asked Jones about the controversial email discussing “hiding the decline”, and Jones explained what he was trying to say….
UPDATE3: McIntyre has posted an article by Jean S at climateaudit.org which is terribly overloaded. We have mirrored it.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/20/mikes-nature-trick/
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Can somebody qualified please phone into James Whale LBC (London, UK) drive time program NOW (Monday 16:24 ish) to discuss the CRU email scandal. I am sure he would put you to the front of the queue.
I have just been in email contact with James Whales’ researcher, they are trying to contact Nigel Lawson. Someone *qualified* from here should call his show. 0845 60 60 973, they are discussing the issue today.
The timing of this disclosure is awesome – just think about it – as soon as countries actually start spending huge amounts on fighting AGW alarmists are won! The only thing they need to do is stop manipulating the data, so real figures would show slowing of GW as a proof that Copenhagen approach is working. And there is no stopping them after that.
Galinar (10:07:34) :
The timing of this disclosure is awesome – just think about it – as soon as countries actually start spending huge amounts on fighting AGW alarmists are won! The only thing they need to do is stop manipulating the data, so real figures would show slowing of GW as a proof that Copenhagen approach is working. And there is no stopping them after that.
———————
Nope – they would then have to start manipulating the CO2 data downwards – because it ain’t gonna go down due to anything that happens in Copenhagen.
So – now we get to see the REAL Inconvenient Truth – no wonder Al Gore was never worried about flying his Gulfstream II (Huge co2 producer) and the fact his house has a larger carbon footprint in one month than the average American house in a year. I guess the mystery of all these cold years in the past decade is now solved. Brrrrr – someone chunk another pot of coal on the grate.
WATSON LIVE ON CHANNEL4 UK now!
Channel 4 news (uk) now doing a piece on this story.
Watson denying anything improper, defending Jones and stumbling to answer.
Lies clearly visible as he answers.
Irony is delicious as now he knows what its like to be a “denier”.
What a clown.
A Professor Andy Watson (I think it was) from the University of East Anglia has just been interviewed by Krishnan Guru-Murthy about Climategate on the prestigious UK Channel 4 News. Professor Watson said that Professor Jones would rely on the transparency of his evidence to justify his work. Can they be from the same university? Dog, homework etc., come to mind.
Bugger, was watching C4 then switched over when the sport came on! Missed. Hope someone outs it on Youtube.
When it comes out on Youtube. will someone post it here. I’m in US.
CNN finally picked up the story from Wired (November 23, 2009 1:23 p.m. EST), they were only 4 days late to the party.
The spin of the article is entirely “Move along nothing here to see”.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/23/hacker.climate/index.html
Larry
Now here is a guy who is *excited* about ClimateGate!!
http://www.infowars.com/alex-jones-tv-doom-gloom-climate-fraudsters-exposed/
Monckton has spoken . . .
http://tinyurl.com/yh8jszy
Ray
Watson’s just been on Newsnight too. I thought Singer wiped the floor with him.
There was an excellent 14 minutes on BBC2’s The Daily Politics today at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00p6sdy/The_Daily_Politics_23_11_2009/
The section starts at about 16:23 in. Andrew Neil interviewed Professors Fred Singer against Professor Bob Watson with sceptical ex- FT journalist John Cassidy who wants to see real data not model predictions. ClimateGate was discussed at some length. In my view it was a walkover for Singer. With Neil on the case (ex Sunday Times editor), the scandal now has legs in the mainstream media. This will run and escalate.
BBc2 newsnight just ran with Singer and the fat boy from uea.
LIberals will try hard to rationalize the facts, there is too much money involved here (via taxes like Cap & Trade). They need to protect their deception with newsline like Global Warming is worse than expected, type of news.
The major issue for the voting and tax paying public is: Should policy be based on data that is private and analyses which cannot be scrutinized or reproduced by independent scientists? My answer is no.
Paxman should be dragging the Minister of Climate Fascism in and demanding to know why we are basing tax policy on such data and analyses, which cannot pass the basic test of science: Independent verification.
This isn’t quite as interesting as I had hoped, though the marooned.jpg in the documents folder seems a bit juvenile for people with PhD’s
and another thing, go do a search in the emails for anything containing the word “greenpeace”, now one would have to ask why they have so much correspondence with a biased environmental group when they are supposed to be neutral.
Hacking is low and I’m always wary of arguments such as, “the ends justifies the means”. However, illegal manoeuvrings such as this have been perhaps triggered by a slight lack of transparency in the field. The long-term damage to the scientific process and reputation is what worries me most.
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2009/11/iowahawk-geographic-the-secret-life-of-climate-researchers.html
LBC 97.3 now.
It is being discussed on LBC now, listen on-line http://www.lbc.co.uk/
These fake scientists should be sacked!