The issue of climate change has been plagued with controversy since it first became part of the public discussion. Many believe that evidence presented by scientists is laden with personal agendas and that the facts don’t support the idea that the world is getting hotter. Some have even suggested that there is nothing to worry about, that the Earth is simply going through a temperature cycle that is part of the normal changes of the planet. However, most scientists agree that climate change is not only real but represents a growing threat to the existence of mankind as we know it. This is why recent leaked emails could potentially do damage to the credibility of one institution that is dedicated to studying the global impact of climate change.
A petition was organized by the Met Office, which asks scientists to sign and stand behind research that was carried out in a Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. People became concerned about the validity of the research after emails were released in which some scientist made comments that did not sit well with the public. Most of these comments revolved around potential tampering with evidence and the use of the word trick. Although researcher for the CRU say that these comments were taken out of context, the Met Office still felt it prudent to gather more than seventeen hundred signatures from scientists who support the evidence of the CRU.
Scientists now claim that the leaked emails were an effort by those opposed to the idea of global warming and that the timing was politically motivated as the world’s leaders currently gathers at the United Nations summit on climate change.
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