MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Global warming research image damaged by hackers

One of the world’s largest and most significant for the future of the world begins this week in Copenhagen

United Nations’ top climate official has conceded that hacked e-mails from climate scientists had damaged the image of global warming research but said evidence of a warming Earth is solid.

In an interview ahead of the UN climate summit starting in Copenhagen, Denmark, Yvo de Boer said the e-mails pilfered from a British university fuelled scepticism among those who believe the science is manipulated to exaggerate global warming.

“I think a lot of people are sceptical about this issue in any case,” Mr de Boer said.

“And then when they have the feeling ... that scientists are manipulating information in a certain direction then of course it causes concern in a number of people to say 'you see I told you so, this is not a real issue'.”

E-mails stolen from the climate unit at the University of East Anglia appeared to show some of world's leading scientists discussing ways to shield data from public scrutiny and suppress others' work.

Those who deny the influence of man-made climate change have seized on the correspondence to argue that scientists have been conspiring to hide evidence about global warming.

“This correspondence looks very bad,” said. ”But I think both the university is looking into this (and) I believe there is a police investigation going on whether the e-mails were leaked or stolen.“

Mr de Boer noted that the head of the UN's expert panel on climate change, Rajendra Pachauri, had also announced that he would investigate the matter.

Mr de Boer defended the rigorous review process by some 2,500 scientists of climate change research as solid and thorough. ”I think this is about the most credible piece of science that there is out there,” he said.

Climate negotiators and world leaders from 192 nations are meeting in Copenhagen in the next two weeks, seeking to agree on an all-encompassing package to combat global warming and help its victims.