Following on the Climategate scandal in which more than a thousand climate scientists’ emails were illegally released on the Internet, Canadian scientists report a series of attempts to gain access to their data. The University of Victoria and Environment Canada both report attempted security breaches in recent weeks.
At the University of Victoria, attempts to hack into scientists’ computers have been documented and physical break ins into their offices have occurred. One scientist, Andrew Weaver, said there were to successful intrusions of his office in which a broken computer was stolen papers looked through.
Weaver told the National Post he believed it was related to the forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen that starts next week. Equating it to the still raging Climategate scandal he said, “The key thing is to try to find anybody who's involved in any aspect of the IPCC and find something that you can ... take out of context.”
A university spokesperson said that electronic break ins have been attempted. In more brazen moves, people have impersonated computer technicians to gain access.
Environment Canada operates its Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling Analysis at the university as well and has reported illegal entry attempts there as well. The center said it monitors its systems and takes the precautions that are required and no evidence of a successful electronic break in have been found.
Two weeks ago, Britain’s Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UAE) saw emails and documents from some of the world’s top scientists released on the Internet. A furor has since ensued over the event now coined ‘Climategate’. Emails from
On the surface, the emails seem to indicate scientists modified data to fit the anthropogenic global warming theory, tried to silence dissenting opinions and reflect a concerted effort to restrict access to climate data possibly by deleting it. The fallout from that event has been felt across the globe.
Phil Jones, director of the CRU has temporarily stepped aside while an investigation is conducted into the event. Jones authored many emails that have fueled the fires of manmade climate change skeptics. In the United States, Michael Mann of Penn State University is similarly under investigation for his statements in the emails. Yesterday, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced it would conduct its own investigation into the event as well.
The world is prepared to descend on Copenhagen beginning Monday in an attempt to reach an international agreement on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The proposals involve cap and trade systems that have proven to be very controversial and many question their effectiveness at addressing global warming.
The Climategate scandal has affected public opinion in the United States and is thought to have played a factor in Australia’s failure to pass a cap and trade program of its own. President Barack Obama announced his vision for the United States’ participation in reducing emissions and said he would fly to Copenhagen to help shore up support.
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