Bureau of Meteorology defends climate data against audit claims
The Bureau of Meteorology rejected an audit claiming widespread climate data errors, citing misunderstandings.
An Australian newspaper published an audit this week claiming Australia's official temperature records contain widespread errors. The Bureau of Meteorology disagreed, saying the audit rested on several misunderstandings.
The bureau called accusations of human tampering false and without proof. The most common example was duplicate readings from 1867 and 1907 at Observatory Hill.
But these dates come before 1910, when the climate record actually starts. The bureau confirmed fewer than 200 duplicate readings existed across its entire 7-million-record data set.
Only three months after 1910 showed duplicates. The effect on long-term trends was too small to matter statistically.
The audit did not explain its methods. A retired scientist and a former computer engineer carried it out.
- More than 1.5 degrees Celsius since 1910
- Climate warming
- 7 million
- Total records
- Fewer than 200 across entire dataset
- Duplicate readings
- 1910
- Official record start
Why it mattersAustralia's climate data backs decisions on emissions cuts and climate policy. If the records are correct, they stay reliable proof for action.
AustraliaAustralia's official temperature record shows warming of more than 1.5°C since 1910 and guides the government's climate and energy policy.
Corroborated bysmh.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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