一項有關洩密電子郵件的調查，澄清了對氣象學家涉入不法的指控，這項指控說英國氣象學家涉嫌陰謀操控數據，用以強調全球暖化的事實。
下議院科學技術委員會在31日發表了一份有關由東英格蘭大學(University of East Anglia, UEA)氣候研究中心(Climatic Research Unit, CRU)所揭露氣候資料的報告。
調查發現，對該氣候資料不實的指控不但沒有事實根據，也沒有企圖對部分科學家產生誤導。
該委員會表示，調查結果沒有理由對政府首席科學顧問貝丁頓教授(Professor John Beddington)所表達的科學共識提出質疑，也就是全球暖化正在發生，(而且)是由人類活動所引起的。
CRU的前主任瓊斯教授(Professor Phil Jones)於2009年11月下台，所引起的風波使得本案以及其他幾個調查案，成為了所謂的氣象門事件(Climategate)。整件事起因於去年11月，駭客竊取並公佈了1000多個氣象學家的電子郵件。
報告中聲明：「委員會認為許多引用自洩漏電子郵件，像是'伎倆'或是'隱藏下降'等的用語，只是私人電子郵件中的口語，查無系統性誤導的證據也平衡了這些說法。」
委員會指出，證據明確的駁斥了使用像是'隱藏下降'的辭彙，並無法證明其中有任何陰謀。
UEA副校長艾克頓(Edward Acton)說：「UEA接受並支持委員會對於需要在科學研究，特別是氣候科學方面增加透明度的調查結果。」
艾克頓並說：「對UEA來說，電子郵件遭竊的事件令人遺憾，有心人士曲解了郵件的原意並向委員會呈報，大大傷害了英國的氣象科學研究。」
此一科學調查程序並非由CRU執行，專案科學調查小組將在3月22日於學校宣布調查結果，確認CRU所作的工作是否札實。
下議院科學技術委員會表示，對於處理不當的資訊公開(Freedom of Information, FoI)要求時，東英格蘭大學應該要負大部分的責任，而不是CRU。
該委員會並指出：「由洩漏的電子郵件中看來，CRU的例子中似乎存有將資訊刪除以避免被揭露的文化，特別是對氣候變遷存疑的方面。」
大學沒有做到原本可以做的潛在損害控管，也很令人遺憾。大學必須重新評估，在有限的資訊公開要求之下，如何支持學者的專業。
在瓊斯11月下台以前，他說：「我們在被資訊公開的要求的壓力之下，公開了透過大型氣象站網絡服務所提供給我們的溫度資料。這些資料並不是我們可以在取得相關氣象資訊提供者許可前能夠公開的。我們已經在資訊專員(Information Commissioner，譯者按：英國設有資訊專員，職司資料保護相關的教育與監督事宜)的知識以及指導之下，妥當回應了資訊公開的要求。」
瓊斯表示，他確信他的研究小組與其他人的結論，也就是全球暖化正在發生。他說：「全球暖化的證據很多，不僅僅是溫度紀錄，其他如海平面上升、冰河退縮、北極海冰減少等指標，都是暖化的證據。」
委員會主席威利斯(Willis)在31日指出：「氣候科學是全球性的重要問題，世界各地的政府，將花費數兆英鎊以科學方法來減緩氣候變遷。因此，科學研究的品質，必須是無可指責的。」
An investigation into leaked emails by British climate scientists that appeared to indicate a conspiracy to manipulate data to bolster a case for global warming has cleared the scientists of wrongdoing.
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee today published its report on the disclosure of climate data from the Climatic Research Unit, CRU, at the University of East Anglia.
The investigation found no basis for accusations of dishonesty and no attempt to mislead on the part of the scientists.
The committee said it found no reason in this inquiry to challenge the scientific consensus as expressed by Professor John Beddington, the government's chief scientific adviser, that "global warming is happening [and] that it is induced by human activity."
Professor Phil Jones, director of the Climatic Research Unit, stepped down in November 2009 to allow this and several other investigations into the furor that has become known as Climategate to proceed. It arose after hackers stole and released more than 1,000 emails by the climate scientists last November.
"On the much cited phrases in the leaked emails, 'trick' and 'hiding the decline,' the committee considers that they were colloquial terms used in private emails and the balance of evidence is that they were not part of a systematic attempt to mislead," the report states.
The evidence "clearly refutes" suggestions that the use of the phrase 'hide the decline' was proof of a conspiracy, the committee said.
Acton said, "UEA both accepts and supports the Committee's findings about the increased need for greater transparency whenever possible in science and particularly climate science."
"It is a matter of regret to UEA that the theft from this University of emails, and the misrepresentation of their contents as exposed by the Committee report, has damaged the reputation of UK climate science," Acton said.
This was not an inquiry into the science produced by CRU and it will be for the Scientific Appraisal Panel, announced by the university on March 22, to determine whether the work of CRU has been soundly built.
On the mishandling of Freedom of Information requests, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee said it considers that much of the responsibility should lie with the University of East Anglia, not CRU.
"The leaked emails appear to show a culture of non-disclosure at CRU and instances where information may have been deleted to avoid disclosure, particularly to climate change sceptics," said the committee in its report.
The failure of the university to grasp fully the potential damage this could do and did was regrettable. The university needs to re-assess how it can support academics whose expertise in FoI requests is limited.
Just before he stepped down in November, Jones said, "We have been bombarded by Freedom of Information requests to release the temperature data that are provided to us by meteorological services around the world via a large network of weather stations. This information is not ours to give without the permission of the meteorological services involved. We have responded to these Freedom of Information requests appropriately and with the knowledge and guidance of the Information Commissioner."
Jones expressed confidence in the conclusions of his team and others that global warming is occurring. "That the world is warming is based on a range of sources: not only temperature records but other indicators such as sea level rise, glacier retreat and less Arctic sea ice," he said.
Committee Chairman Willis said today, "Climate science is a matter of global importance. On the basis of the science, governments across the world will be spending trillions of pounds on climate change mitigation. The quality of the science therefore has to be irreproachable."
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