Climate Audit

Climate Audit
Name	Climate Audit (blog)
Founder	Steve McIntyre
Formed	2005
Type	Independent blog
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario

Climate Audit Climate Audit is an independent online blog founded by Canadian statistician Steve McIntyre that focuses on the statistical and methodological analysis of paleoclimate reconstructions and instrumental temperature records. The site attracts attention from researchers, commentators, and policymakers interested in the work of groups such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Hadley Centre, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the University of East Anglia. It has been a focal point in debates involving figures and institutions like Michael Mann, Phil Jones (climatologist), Raymond S. Bradley, Tom Wigley, and Keith Briffa.

Background and History

Climate Audit was launched in 2005 by Steve McIntyre following public discussion around the "hockey stick" controversy associated with reconstructions by Michael Mann, Raymond S. Bradley, and Malcolm K. Hughes. The blog emerged amid broader scrutiny involving inquiries and investigations such as those by the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the East Anglia e-mail controversy, and panels convened by the National Academy of Sciences. Early posts critiqued methodologies used in influential assessments like the Third Assessment Report and the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, situating the site within networks of independent researchers, interested journalists from outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and commentators affiliated with think tanks like the Cato Institute and the American Enterprise Institute.

Methodology and Scope

The blog emphasizes statistical techniques including principal component analysis, proxy selection, and calibration methods as applied to paleoclimatology studies produced by institutions such as the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Posts frequently interrogate data provenance from archives like the International Tree-Ring Data Bank and instrumental compilations maintained by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information and the Met Office Hadley Centre. The methodological focus draws on practices from disciplines represented by scholars at University of Toronto, University of Oxford, Harvard University, and Princeton University, engaging statistical frameworks associated with researchers such as Bradley Efron and referencing conventions from reports by the Royal Society and the American Geophysical Union.

Key Findings and Reports

Climate Audit has published detailed reanalyses of influential paleoclimate studies, examining reconstructions like those found in publications in Nature and Science. The site claims to have identified issues in data processing, replication, and code disclosure related to reconstructions attributed to teams at Pennsylvania State University, the University of Virginia, and the University of Arizona. Posts have highlighted discrepancies involving datasets assembled by Phil Jones (climatologist), series curated by Keith Briffa, and compilations used in IPCC figures, prompting replication attempts paralleling inquiries by the National Academy of Sciences and independent audits by academics at institutions including McGill University and Yale University.

Controversies and Criticisms

Climate Audit has been central to contentious exchanges involving media outlets such as The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Telegraph and has been criticized by climate scientists associated with RealClimate and the American Meteorological Society for perceived partisan framing and selective emphasis. Critics argue that some analyses promoted by the blog parallel positions advanced by advocacy groups including the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Friends of Science, and that blog-based scrutiny can conflate technical issues with broader inferences about attribution advanced by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments. Supporters counter by citing transparency arguments invoked in debates over open data and reproducibility echoed in recommendations by the Royal Society and the National Science Foundation.

Impact on Policy and Public Discourse

Discussions initiated or amplified on the blog intersected with legislative and oversight activity in forums such as the United States Congress and media coverage during high-profile moments like the East Anglia e-mail controversy. The site influenced reporting by investigative journalists at outlets including National Review and The Washington Post, and catalyzed calls for data-sharing reforms echoed in policies at NOAA and university repositories. The broader discourse engaged stakeholders from international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and national science advisory bodies such as the Royal Society and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Related Organizations and Initiatives

Entities and initiatives frequently discussed on the blog include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Hadley Centre, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, the Climatic Research Unit, the International Tree-Ring Data Bank, and academic departments at institutions such as University of East Anglia, Pennsylvania State University, Harvard University, and University of Toronto. Other recurrently cited organizations are the Royal Society, the American Geophysical Union, the National Academy of Sciences, and think tanks like the Cato Institute and the American Enterprise Institute.

Category:Climate blogs Category:Paleoclimatology