| July 7, 2010 |  |
Final University of East Anglia Report Clears Scientists
So-called Scandal is Over, Science Group Says
WASHINGTON (July 7, 2010) — The so-called "Climategate" scandal is over, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and it really wasn't a scandal after all. The British University of East Anglia's (UEA) final independent inquiry, headed by Muir Russel, a former British government official, found that the "rigour and honesty" of the scientists whose emails were stolen "are not in doubt."
Brenda Ekwurzel, a UCS climate scientist, said the manufactured scandal over the stolen emails has been an unwelcome distraction for her colleagues. "Scientists now can get back to doing science," she said. "This report should lay these unwarranted accusations against climate scientists to rest once and for all. The politicians and pundits who attacked these scientists and dragged their names through the mud owe them an apology."
The University of East Anglia's latest investigation comes on the heels of one in the United States that exonerated an American scientist caught up in the hacked email scrum. On July 1, Penn State University independently concluded that Michael Mann, whose emails were among those stolen from UEA, also committed no offense. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is demanding that Mann's former employer, the University of Virginia, provide his office with emails and data related to Mann's time at the school. A close reading of the emails shows that Cuccinelli has erroneously cited the stolen emails, which he says justify his investigation, according to UCS.
Russel's report does criticize the University of East Anglia for inadequately addressing freedom of information requests and advises that reconstructions of the Earth's past temperatures be clearly labeled to avoid confusion over how they were assembled.
Francesca Grifo, the director of UCS's Scientific Integrity Program, said the Russel report's findings emphasize the need for openness in scientific fields that have public policy implications.
"We've learned from the stolen email case that scientists have to agree on standards for how and when research results should be released," Grifo said. "They also should arrive at some kind of a consensus on what data and analyses should be made public ahead of publication.
"It's a new world, and scientists should plan on being subject to increased scrutiny," she added. "Until scientists can agree on what transparency means, the door will remain open for more allegations that they've misused the scientific process."
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
