Climategate review clears scientists of dishonesty

JUL 07, 2010

Physics Today

CNN : The climate scientists whose leaked e-mails suggested they had fudged data have been cleared of dishonesty by an independent review. The review, which was published today in London, was led by Muir Russell, a retired civil servant and former principal of Glasgow University. Although the embarrassing e-mails contained exchanges from climate scientists from around the world, the leaks themselves originated from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit (CRU). The review’s three main findings are

1. Climate science is a matter of such global importance that the highest standards of honesty, rigor, and openness are needed in its conduct. On the specific allegations made against the behavior of CRU scientists, we find that their rigor and honesty as scientists are not in doubt.2. In addition, we do not find that their behavior has prejudiced the balance of advice given to policy makers. In particular, we did not find any evidence of behavior that might undermine the conclusions of the IPCC assessments.3. But we do find that there has been a consistent pattern of failing to display the proper degree of openness, both on the part of the CRU scientists and on the part of the UEA, who failed to recognize not only the significance of statutory requirements but also the risk to the reputation of the University and, indeed, to the credibility of UK climate science.