Pro-vice chancellor of Sciences at the University of Otago, Keith Hunter, has said that the legal action being brought against NIWA over its temperature data records is only creating confusion, and lacks merit.
The NZ Climate Science Coalition (CSC) has alleged that NIWA’s data are flawed, and is trying to have the High Court have the records invalidated.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“The coalition said the 1degC warming during the 20th century was based on adjustments taken by Niwa from a 1981 student thesis by then student Jim Salinger, a Niwa employee who was later sacked after talking to the news media without permission.
“But Prof Hunter told Radio New Zealand the courts could not determine whether or not the adjusted records had been adjusted properly.
“”It can only be done by people who have an established scientific reputation in meteorology. So if the coalition has got those people they should do the analysis. If they haven’t they should find someone else who has got that.
“”There is nothing sinister about making adjustments. Measurements are often adjusted because of procedural differences between stations or changes in instruments with time.
“”The coalition are just creating confusion. Throwing mud and if they throw enough mud some will stick and organisations like Niwa get dragged down in it,” Prof Hunter said.”