Freedom of Information requests to the Climatic Research Unit information
Freedom of Information requests to the Climatic Research Unit featured in press discussions of disputes over access to data from instrumental temperature records, particularly during the Climatic Research Unit email controversy which began in November 2009.
The UK Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) came into effect in 2005, and FOI requests were made to the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia (UEA) for the raw data from weather stations used in developing instrumental temperature record datasets, for copies of agreements under which the raw data was obtained from meteorology institutions, and also for email correspondence relating to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report.
In many cases the raw data which CRU had obtained from National Meteorological Organisations was subject to restrictions on redistribution: on 12 August 2009 CRU announced that they were seeking permission to waive these restrictions, and on 24 November 2009 the university stated that over 95% of the CRU climate data set had already been available for several years, with the remainder to be released when permissions were obtained. In a decision announced on 27 July 2011 the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) required release of raw data even though permissions had not been obtained or in one instance had been refused, and on 27 July 2011 CRU announced release of the raw instrumental data not already in the public domain, with the exception of Poland which was outside the area covered by the FOIA request.
A 2008 FOI request by David Holland for emails discussing work on the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report was refused by the university. In November 2009 he alleged that CRU emails posted online discussed deleting the emails he had requested: in January 2010 the Deputy Information Commissioner told a journalist that this indicated an offence under section 77 of the FOIA, but prosecution was time-barred by statute of limitations. Newspapers misrepresented this as a decision in relation to raw data, and the issue was discussed by the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry, which found there had been a lack of openness. The ICO decision published on 7 July 2010 stated that this potential offence had not been investigated as it was time-barred. As Holland was content not to proceed with his complaint against the university, no further action was needed, but the ICO would "consider whether further action is appropriate to secure future compliance."
In September 2011 the ICO issued new guidance to universities. This described exceptions and exemptions to protect research, including allowance for internal exchange of views between academics and researchers free from external scrutiny, as well as commending actively disclosing information when it is in the public interest.
and 26 Related for: Freedom of Information requests to the Climatic Research Unit information
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