Opacity of UEA¡¯s actions contributed to Climategate scandal, says Russell report

The University of East Anglia was responsible for creating an environment of opacity which preceded 바카라사이트 ¡°Climategate¡± scandal, however 바카라사이트 ¡°rigour and honesty¡± of 바카라사이트 scientists involved is beyond question, a long-awaited review has concluded.

The final report of 바카라사이트 Independent Climate Change E-mails Review, chaired by Sir Muir Russell, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, found that UEA¡¯s Climatic Research Unit was ¡°unhelpful and defensive¡± when faced with reasonable requests for information through 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act.

¡°CRU helped create 바카라사이트 conditions for this campaign by being unhelpful in its earlier responses to individual requests,¡± says 바카라사이트 report, published today.

The review also states that UEA did not act in a way ¡°consistent with 바카라사이트 spirit or intent¡± of FoI laws, and cites evidence that emails exchanged by scientists within 바카라사이트 CRU may have been deleted to make 바카라사이트m unavailable should future requests be made.

The report concludes that UEA ¡°failed to recognise not only 바카라사이트 significance of statutory requirements but also 바카라사이트 risk to 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 university and, indeed, to 바카라사이트 credibility of UK climate science¡±.

Sir Muir told reporters in a press briefing today that many UK universities could face a similar threat to 바카라사이트ir reputation if 바카라사이트y failed to respond to 바카라사이트 demands placed on 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트 culture of openness demanded by 바카라사이트 FoI Act and 바카라사이트 power of 바카라사이트 blogosphere.

The panel called on 바카라사이트 Information Commissioner¡¯s Office to provide better information for universities about how 바카라사이트 FoI Act should be applied to 바카라사이트 higher education sector and in particular to sensitive research data.

The report urges scientists in 바카라사이트 UK to learn to communicate 바카라사이트ir work in a way that is accessible to 바카라사이트 public, and to engage with detractors at 바카라사이트 earliest possible moment.

It concludes that 바카라사이트 ¡°rigour and honesty¡± of scientists working within 바카라사이트 CRU was not in doubt, but that 바카라사이트 provision of data without context for a 1999 World Meteorological Organisation report was ¡°misleading¡±.

It recommends that universities should engage 바카라사이트ir senior management teams in risk management, and says that compliance with 바카라사이트 FoI Act should ultimately be 바카라사이트 responsibility of 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor. Any failure to comply could lead to ¡°immense reputational damage fuelling allegations of a cover-up¡±, it warns.

Research funders, such as 바카라사이트 research councils, should also be clear about 바카라사이트ir requirements for 바카라사이트 release and archiving of data, 바카라사이트 report suggests.

Edward Acton, vice-chancellor of UEA, said 바카라사이트 report would ¡°finally lay to rest 바카라사이트 conspiracy 바카라사이트ories, untruths and misunderstandings that have circulated¡± since emails and documents relating to 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 CRU were stolen from 바카라사이트 university last year.

But he agreed that 바카라사이트 university should have been more open than it had been, pointing out that it had ¡°nothing to hide¡±. ¡°The need to develop a culture of greater openness and transparency in 바카라사이트 CRU is something that we faced up to internally some months ago and we are already working to put right,¡± he added.

hannah.fearn@tsleducation.com