One of the most annoying things about the Hadley numbers is that if it was, contrary to appearances, an honest oversight then it was all completely avoidable. Hadley is famously secretive about the data behind the HADCRUT index, only releasing the raw data to carefully selected people. They even have even stood firm in the face of Freedom of Information requests.
To that end I've written to Derek Twigg, the minister responsible for the Met Office and Hadley to ask him to do something about it. I wonder if he will try to convince me that it's something to do with national security.
Dear Mr Twigg
I am writing to you in your capacity as minister responsible for the Met Office.
I note that the Met Office’s Hadley Centre has today announced that it has found an error in the way it calculates its important HADCRUT3 global temperature index. I’m sure it will have been very embarrassing to everyone at the Met Office, and to yourself, to find that the figures reported to the public for so long have been erroneous.
For many years now, many members of the public have tried unsuccessfully to obtain the raw data and computer code used in the calculation of the HADCRUT index. As I understand it, all such requests are refused, even when via a FoI request.
I would therefore like to know the answer to three questions:
- Do you agree that climate change is an issue of overwhelming public importance?
- Do you agree that making the raw data and code widely available is the best defence against the propagation of errors such as those reported by Hadley?
- Will you now be telling the Hadley Centre to publish the raw data and code on their website?
I will publish your response on my own website at bishophill.squarespace.com, unless you request otherwise.
Yours sincerely
Bishop Hill
Update: Thanks to the Adam Smith Insitute for linking to this story. If any readers feel like contacting Mr Twigg too, I'm sure it would help to keep the pressure on.