New Zealand Local Weather Forum

Climate and Science => Climatology and Environment => Topic started by: Te Puke Weather on July 16, 2012, 12:14:40 PM

Title: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: Te Puke Weather on July 16, 2012, 12:14:40 PM
The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the High Court in Auckland.

The New Zealand Climate Change Education Trust is disputing the method NIWA uses to measure the temperature.

At the heart of the case is whether temperatures have risen to the degree NIWA data claims and whether that warming is predominantly caused by human activities.

The trust wants New Zealand's official temperature records to be declared invalid and prevent NIWA using that data to advise the Government and public.

It's also seeking an order that NIWA produces full and accurate temperature data.

source: NZCity, NewsTalkZB

http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=150346&fm=psp,tst (http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=150346&fm=psp,tst)
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: Weather Display on July 16, 2012, 12:48:31 PM
the method used for making adjustments due to site changes is documented
(uses 4 years before and after data data and data comparisons  from neighbouring stations to come up with an adjustment)
there is no point in using un adjusted data from sites that have moved in long term temperature trend data
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: ato2 on July 16, 2012, 01:20:36 PM
Aren't these characters some kind of strange climate change deniers?
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: Derek on July 16, 2012, 05:36:11 PM
Quote
The New Zealand Climate Change Education Trust is disputing the method NIWA uses to measure the temperature.

mmmm.... I'd be pretty interested to know how they would want to go about measuring things...

Quote
It's also seeking an order that NIWA produces full and accurate temperature data.

I thought NIWA already did do that...   :)


Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: ato2 on July 16, 2012, 05:40:29 PM
It's also seeking an order that NIWA produces full and accurate temperature data.
I thought NIWA already did do that...   :)
[/quote]
No, you don't understand mate. First of all you decide what the results will be, then you collect the data, analyse it and then adjust it to match what the results should have been.
It's science Jim, but not as we know it!
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: Mark on July 16, 2012, 06:02:37 PM
Obviously Niwa has nothing to worry about then.
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: Rwood on July 18, 2012, 11:07:58 PM
Tom, they are cranks an liars. The whole case is a disgrace to human decnecy as well as science. I have insider knowledge of the issues, too.
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: ato2 on July 19, 2012, 08:23:19 AM
I presume then, that there is some climate change denier/extreme right commercial tie up here
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: Rwood on July 19, 2012, 02:16:48 PM
Tom, they are cranks an liars. The whole case is a disgrace to human decnecy as well as science. I have insider knowledge of the issues, too.
I presume then, that there is some climate change denier/extreme right commercial tie up here
[/quote]

There is. There are some pretty unsavoury US friends of these people ...
Title: Re: The accuracy of NIWA's official temperature records are being challenged in the
Post by: OhauitiWeather on July 19, 2012, 02:30:33 PM
I presume then, that there is some climate change denier/extreme right commercial tie up here
There is. There are some pretty unsavoury US friends of these people ...
Oooooooh, Please tell more, just love a good conspiracy theory!
Title: Niwa hits back in data dispute
Post by: OhauitiWeather on July 19, 2012, 02:49:09 PM
Lawyers for the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research have hit back at claims by a group sceptical of global warming that the Institute's temperature data is invalid.

(http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201229/78527654_220x147.jpg)

The New Zealand Climate Science Education Trust, a branch of the NZ Climate Coalition, has brought a case before the High Court in Auckland against the country's state-owned weather and atmospheric research body.
 
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) records show a national warming trend of almost one degree Celsius in the last century, a figure which the Trust says is unreliable and almost 50 per cent above the global average for the period.
 
Niwa's lawyer Justin Smith told the court this morning that the plaintiff appeared to be manufacturing rules that suited its case.
 
"They do not come from anywhere but its counsel's inventiveness. They change at the last minute and without notice when a plausible objection is raised.''
 
Mr Smith is currently outlining the defence's response to six submissions made by the Trust, including whether Niwa had an obligation to adhere to "recognised scientific opinion'', and whether Niwa used contaminated data.

The dispute relates to readings from the "Seven-station Series'' (7SS) - stations in Auckland, Masterton, Wellington, Nelson, Hokitika, Lincoln and Dunedin - used by Niwa for national temperature records.
 
The Trust says unscientific methods were used to reach the results, creating an unrealistic indication of climate warming.
 
"We're not saying climate change doesn't exist. We're saying let's at least make sure that evidence of this for New Zealanders is accurate,'' Trust lawyer Terry Sissons previously told the court.
 
He challenged the way Niwa had adjusted temperatures recorded at stations, which he said were moved half a degree downwards on average in early readings.
 
The results had significantly affected the overall upwards rise in temperature, said Mr Sissons.
 
"Is that valid that you can expose a trend, simply by pushing down the readings in the early part to make them colder? Then when you compare them to the modern ones you get a steep increase.''
 
Instead of using the accepted international method to estimate how site changes had affected temperature and rainfall, Niwa instead used the untested techniques of former employee James Salinger, said Mr Sissons.
 
The disputed climate data had been used for a number of projects, had a "profound effect'' on policy making, and was also used to predict future trends, he said.
 
The Trust is asking the High Court to invalidate the temperature record to stop Niwa from using the record to advise the Government and the public, and for Niwa to provide "full and accurate'' temperature record.
 
Published by NZ Herald- APNZ, By Rebecca Quillam
Link to article:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10819943