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Climategate Review Member Resigns
Within hours of the launch of an independent panel to investigate claims that climate scientists covered up flawed data on temperature rises, one member has been forced to resign after sceptics questioned his impartiality.
In an interview last year with Chinese State Radio, enquiry panel member Philip Campbell, editor-in-chief of Nature said: “The scientists have not hidden the data. If you look at the emails there is one or two bits of language that are jargon used between professionals that suggest something to outsiders that is wrong.”
He went on: “In fact the only problem there has been is on some official restrictions on their ability to disseminate data otherwise they have behaved as researchers should.”
Dr Campbell, was invited to sit on the enquiry panel because of his expertise in the peer review process as editor of one of the world’s leading science journals.
The journal has published some of the leading papers on climate change research, including those supporting the now famous “hockey stick” graph, the subject of intense criticism by climate sceptics.
Dr Campbell has now withdrawn his membership of the panel, telling Channel 4 News: “I made the remarks in good faith on the basis of media reports of the leaks.
“As I have made clear subsequently, I support the need to for a full review of the facts behind the leaked e-mails.
“There must be nothing that calls into question the ability of the independent Review to complete this task, and therefore I have decided to withdraw from the team.”
The interview, posted on the Bishop Hill blog, run by climate sceptic Andrew Montford, will come as an embarrassment to the enquiry’s chair Sir Muir Russell.
Channel 4 News: ‘Climate-gate’ review member resigns
February 15th, 2010 at 1:11 am
In Scotland today the levels of pure irrational witch hunt tendency is stronger than ever.
Remember this is a country where to ask someone to take a oath of allegiance to the country is thought to be too intrusive.
However if you are not a “true believer” in AGW its enough to get sacked.
From today’s Sunday Herald…….
Critics say Sir Ian Byatt should reconsider his position as Scotland’s water regulator
Exclusive by Paul Hutcheon
14 Feb 2010
Ministers have been urged to sack the chairman of Scotland’s water regulator after he became an adviser to a group that is sceptical of climate change.
Sir Ian Byatt is helping the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), a think-tank set up by former Conservative Chancellor Nigel Lawson.
Campaigners say the Scottish Government, which has backed tough targets to cut carbon dioxide emissions, should replace him immediately.
Sir Ian took over as chairman of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) in 2005. The quango determines the prices charged by Scottish Water, the publicly-owned utility, as well as monitoring its performance.
Scottish Water also has a key role in meeting the climate change objectives laid out in law.
However, Sir Ian’s own commitment to the environment has been questioned after he signed up to the GWPF think-tank, which questions the scientific assumptions behind climate change.
Set up last year, the GWPF lists Sir Ian as a member of its academic advisory council. According to its website, the foundation aims to “bring reason, integrity and balance” to a debate on climate change it says has become “seriously unbalanced, irrationally alarmist, and all too often depressingly intolerant”.
GWPF director Dr Benny Peiser said the foundation believed carbon dioxide in the atmosphere did have a warming effect, but said: “If we are sceptical in one area, it is the predicted impacts or disasters. That’s where we think the science is not good enough. There’s too much uncertainty.”
The foundation rents office space in London from the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, but does not disclose its income sources.
Environment campaigner George Monbiot said the foundation drew “heavily on the arguments, tactics and strategies” of American anti-climate change lobby groups.
“The whole effort is to try to look as credible and as mainstream as possible, while spouting truly incredible claims.”
Sir Ian’s decision to advise the GWPF comes after he made a number of statements criticising the scientific case behind climate change.
In a paper to the House of Lords in 2005, he said: “It is premature to conclude that any human-induced global warming would necessarily occur rapidly and further, that any such warming would be catastrophic.
“I do not, therefore, agree that drastic and far-reaching action is justified, especially without more careful consideration of the type of action appropriate, and of the costs associated with it.”
Sir Ian and Lord Lawson also co-signed a paper in 2006 critiquing the science behind climate change.
However, Sir Ian’s views directly contradict the commitment shown by the SNP Government towards addressing environmental concerns.
MSPs last year approved targets for cutting carbon emissions by 42% by 2020, compared with their 1990 levels.
Dave Watson, Scottish organiser for trade union Unison, said: “I will be writing to John Swinney, calling on him to sack this regulator … It beggars belief that the regulator of Scotland’s water industry, which has a key function to play in delivering the Scottish Parliament’s ambitious climate change target, should ally himself with this group.”
A spokesman for the WICS said: “Sir Ian’s involvement in this group is personal and has nothing to do with his role at the WICS.”