Volume 1

The disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia : eighth report of session 2009-10.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology
Date:
2010
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: The disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia : eighth report of session 2009-10. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    then the average for the hemisphere and the globe is totally independent between the different groups.® 48. In its memorandum UEA explained the differences between the methodologies used by three basic datasets for land areas of the world, NOAA, NASA and CRU/UEA: All these datasets rely on primary observations recorded by NMSs [National Meteorological Services] across the globe.” GISS!! and NCDC!! each use at least 7,200 stations. CRUTEM3 uses fewer. In CRUTEM3, each monthly temperature value is expressed as a departure from the average for the base period 1961-90. This “anomaly method” of expressing temperature records demands an adequate amount of data for the base period; this limitation reduces the number of stations used by CRUTEM3 to 4,348 (from the dataset total of 5,121). The latest NCDC analysis [...] has now moved to the “anomaly method” though with different refinements from those of CRU.” NCDC and GISS use different approaches to the problem of “absolute temperature” from those of CRUTEM3. The homogeneity procedures undertaken by GISS and NCDC are completely different from those adopted for CRUTEM3. NCDC has an automated adjustment procedure [...], whilst GISS additionally makes allowances for urbanization effects at some stations.” 49. In our call for evidence we asked for submissions on the question of how independent the other international data sets are. We have established to the extent that a limited inquiry of this nature can, that the NCDC/NOAA and GISS/NASA data sets measuring temperature changes on land and at sea have arrived at similar conclusions using similar data to that used by CRU, but using independently devised methodologies. We have further identified that there are two other data sets (University of Alabama and Remote Sensing Systems), using satellite observations that use entirely different data than that used by CRU. These also confirm the findings of the CRU work. We therefore conclude that there is independent verification, through the use of other methodologies and other sources of data, of the results and conclusions of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. 50. The fact that all the datasets show broadly the same sort of course of instrumental temperature change since the nineteenth century compared to today was why Professor John Beddington, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, had the confidence to say that 68 Q80 69 Ev 21, para 4.3 70 Dataset held by the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS, USA) part of the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) 71. Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) dataset held by National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, USA) 72 Ev 21, para 4.4 73 ~=Ev 21, para 4.5
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