It is interesting that the Met Office in the UK has decided to go back and re-analyse their temperature data. Apparently it will take 3 years. This follows the recent implications that scientists at CRU at UEA (UK) may have engaged in some spin to enhance the results of previous analyses in order to strength the argument that something needs to be done about the man-made causes of Global Warming.  This has become known as Climategate

At this point in time it isn’t clear whether the allegations about CRU are true or not but Climate Change sceptics have seized on the news to strengthen their argument that the man-made effect is not as great as the likes of CRU would have us believe. So nothing is clear yet (hopefully the investigation into Climategate will reveal more) but as this article says, public opinion will have been affected by the allegations.    

All this comes on the eve of the Copenhagen conference, so the timing is not good if you believe that Global Warming is real and that the causes can be identified and fixed.

The Met Office explain the methodology for calculating global average temperature records here. At first glance - to my naive eye - the argument about missing data seems unusual - why not use imputation? - but i'd need to spend more time looking at the method and the data to really form an opinion. This all makes me believe that they need to make all the data available and unleash the Wisdom of Crowds. 

As we all know this could be the single most important issue facing the planet (not to mention humanity). Frankly I think we need more brain power - and certainly more openness - which I firmly believe will drive us towards a truthful  consensus. And we may even get to more accurate results in less than three years!