Climate Change: The Challenge of our Times

From Mandy Garner, University World News

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our times but it is one that is steeped in controversy. The recent ‘Climategate’ affair, in which emails from the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit were leaked and used to allege scientific misconduct, has shown just how politically contentious the issue is.

This is despite two reports into the affair, by a UK Government committee and an independent Science Assessment Panel, showing no evidence of malpractice.

The leaks were followed by reports of inaccuracies in the findings of the UN Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Changes now being investigated by a 12-member panel of top scientist from around the world.

The two cases served to undermine public confidence in climate change and in scientific research in general. Thousands of media articles were written on the topic and several climate scientists, in countries as far flung as the US and Australia, reported receiving death threats.

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