Temp difference shows climate science not settled

The New Zealand Climate Science Coalition

2 August 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Temperature difference shows climate science not settled

A major difference in measurement between NIWA and the international body IPCC, concerning New Zealand temperature trends contradicts the assertion of the Minister for Climate Change, David Parker, that climate science is "settled." This claim has been made by an expatriate New Zealand earth scientist, Warwick Hughes, now living in Perth.

"It is obvious that the science cannot be settled when two important authorities cannot agree more closely on such a basic measurement as the recent New Zealand temperature trend, in a region where data must be among the best in the world," said Mr Hughes.

He said that New Zealand temperature trends as measured by the Jones et al group at the University of Norwich for the IPCC (United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) show warming of 0.63 degrees C over the 27 years 1979 to 2005 which is 0.38 degrees more than the seven station NIWA anomaly trend which warms at 0.25 degrees C.

"When we have the IPCC believing that New Zealand is warming at more than double the rate that NIWA publishes, then this is a sign that the science is far from settled," said Mr Hughes.

A member of the New Zealand Science Coalition which last week called on the government to appoint a Royal Commission on the science and economics of climate change, Mr Hughes said that this is another example of a serious difference between climate science authorities and it contradicts the assertion of David Parker last week in rejecting the proposal for a commission on the grounds that such science is settled.

"I challenge the Minister to obtain the New Zealand weather station data compiled by Dr Jones for the IPCC and to make these data freely available and also to direct NIWA to release its station data in order that the issue can be properly researched and resolved in a public, transparent and accountable manner.

"Come clean Minister, in the most effective possible way: appoint a Royal Commission," said Mr Hughes.

ENDS

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