LONDON—Claims that climate change comes from man-made emissions are to be re-assessed, as the university at the center of Britain's 'Climategate' scandal has vowed to widen its investigation into the affair.
The findings of scientists at the Climatic Research Unit (CRU), in the University of East Anglia (UEA), were thrown into doubt after leaked e-mails revealed that scientists may have manipulated data to support their claims.
The revelations have threatened to damage the credibility of climate science, and came at a time when the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was found to have made an inaccurate claim about the rate at which the Himalayan glaciers were melting.
The UEA said that it would widen its current investigation into the leaked e-mail scandal, to encompass a broader assessment of the scientific findings of the unit.
The investigation will be carried out with the help of Britain's national scientific academy, the Royal Society.
The widening of the inquiry may indicate that university bosses believe that the credibility of climate science has been damaged in the public eye.
“Published papers from CRU have gone through the rigorous and intensive peer review process, which is the keystone for maintaining the integrity of scientific research," said Trevor Davies, pro-vice chancellor at the UEA.
A U.S. climate scientist, Michael Mann, who regularly exchanged e-mails with UEA colleagues was cleared of three allegations in an internal inquiry by Penn State University last week.
The allegations, included data, concealing information and misusing confidential information. However, a fourth allegation—undermining academic standards—was found to be warranting further investigation.
Lord Rees of Ludlow, the president of the Royal Society, told the Times U.K. newspaper that he would help the university select a panel for the investigation.
“It is important that people have the utmost confidence in the science of climate change," he said. "Where legitimate doubts are raised about any piece of science they must be fully investigated—that is how science works."
