Overview
The independent Climate Change Email Review was announced in December 2009 after emails from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit were hacked and published online.
The Review was called for and was funded by the University of East Anglia, but its work and findings are wholly independent.
The review:
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Examined the hacked e-mail exchanges, other relevant e-mail exchanges and any other information held at the Climatic Research Unit to determine whether there was any evidence of manipulation or suppression of data which is at odds with acceptable scientific practice and may therefore call into question any of the research outcomes.
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Reviewed the Climatic Research Unit’s policies and practices for acquiring, assembling, subjecting to peer review and disseminating data and research findings, and their compliance or otherwise with best scientific practice.
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Reviewed the Climatic Research Unit’s compliance or otherwise with the University of East Anglia’s policies and practices regarding requests under the Freedom of Information Act (‘the FOIA’) and the Environmental Information Regulations (‘the EIR’) for the release of data.
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Reviewed and made recommendations as to the appropriate management, governance and security structures for the Climatic Research Unit and the security, integrity and release of the data it holds.
The remit of the Review can be amended or added to at the discretion of the independent chair, Sir Muir Russell.
The Review team
The Independent Climate Change Email Review was conducted by an expert team, led by Sir Muir Russell KCB DL FRSE. The Review team has more than 100 years’ collective expertise of scientific research methodology and a wide range of scientific backgrounds.
None have any links to the Climatic Research Unit, or the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). More information about each of the review team members can be found in the Biographies section.
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Inquiry
On 22 January 2010 the Science and Technology Committee announced an inquiry into the disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. Full information about the inquiry and its terms of reference can be found on the House of Commons website.
The Committee invited written submissions from interested parties by Wednesday 10 February. The Independent Climate Change Email Review made a written submission to the inquiry by this deadline.
Download the Response to the
Science and Technology Committee
Sir Muir Russell, Chair of the independent Review, also took part in the oral evidence session held by the Committee on 1 March.