Climategate: global warming data 'rock solid', says University of East Anglia

The scientist at the centre of an ongoing row in the UK about climate research, Phil Jones, will be vindicated by "rock solid" evidence that shows global warming is happening, according to his colleagues.

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent
Published: 7:30AM GMT 03 Feb 2010

Prof Jones, the former head of the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit, is accused of manipulating data to prove world temperatures are rising.
He was forced to step down from his post during an ongoing inquiry into the scandal known as "climategate".

His replacement, Professor Peter Liss, has however, predicted Prof Jones will be "vindicated" by the science and get his job back.
"I think there is no question that the global temperature record produced by the Climatic Research Unit is absolutely correct and of course it is vindicated by two other institutions in the United States, who have looked at the data and processed it in their ways," he said.
"It is almost impossible to see a difference between the results so I think the results from the climatic research unit are rock solid."
Questions were first raised over the global temperature record after Prof Jones mentioned using a "trick" on global data in emails he sent from the University that were later stolen.
Sceptics also claim that information was withheld on the locations of weather stations in China that were used to measure rising temperature
Prof Jones insisted information was made available, although he conceded that scientists need to be more clear to prevent the public questioning global warming in future.
"It makes me quite worried people are beginning to doubt the climate has warmed up," he added.
Questions have also been raised about the studies of one of Prof Jones' research partners Wei-Chyung Wang, from the University of Albany in New York.
The prominent Chinese-American scientist's research was cleared of any wrong doing after he was investigated by his university for misconduct.
In a statement to The Daily Telegraph a spokesman for the University said: "The University concluded in June 2008 that there was no evidence whatsoever that Professor Wei-Chyung Wang committed data fabrication or any research misconduct with respect to those allegations.
"During the time of the investigation, the University and Dr. Wang took the allegations seriously and dealt with them rigorously.
"The University strongly supports Dr. Wang and his research, and encourages him to continue his celebrated research on climate variance."