Met Office to look again at global warming records

The Met Office is to re-examine 160 years of global temperature records following the 'climategate' scandal. The project, in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), will gather the original temperature records from thousands of weather stations around the world. The readings will be double-checked and new information that has become available, such as improved understanding of atmospheric change, will be added. The data will then be independently analysed to assess how the temperature has changed over different regions. The new analysis, that will take three years, will not only provide a more detailed picture of global warming but aims to boost public confidence in the science of climate change. Climate change sceptics claim that emails stolen from the University of East Anglia show scientists were willing to manipulate global warming data in a scandal known as 'climategate'. Vicky Pope, Head of Climate Change Advice, at the Met Office, said the new global temperature analyses would not change the trend of global warming. But she said it would verify the existing data and provide more information so the world can better adapt to climate change.