Monday, March 01, 2010

Canada Withholding Climate Data!

Coverage of the Science and Technology Committee's hearings brought out one neat little factlet: Canada is one of the countries that will not allow the University of East Anglia to reproduce the raw data from its weather stations. They would prefer you contact the Canadian source for this data (presumably Environment Canada?). Maybe Mr. Bernier, in an effort to quell the scepticism that gnaws at his heart, will suggest to his Prime Minister that this information be made available by Canada to any revamped central data-base that these various U.K. committees finally recommend creating.

8 comments:

chris said...

I can't watch the BBC video (Linux rules! Mostly.) but as I understand it the data is available for a fee. Is that correct?

bigcitylib said...

Canada's? I think its actually available for free here.

http://climat.meteo.gc.ca/prods_servs/index_e.html

Not sure if thats the set they're talking about. The point is, Canada seems to want you to visit this site (rather than a UK site) to get it.

chris said...

Ah, thanks, BCL.

I can't recall where I read that some national met offices charge for the data.

This was all part of the "deleted data" kerfuffle. The data was used and then deleted from the university servers but was still available from it's original owners for a fee. Or, obviously, for free from some countries.

Of course the denialists equated data deletion with book burning and baby eating and another zombie lie was born.

Ti-Guy said...

Canada's? I think its actually available for free here.

I doubt that. If you want historical data dumped in machine-readable form, you have to request it, for which there are not-insignificant charges.

Canada is notoriously stingy when it comes to distributing public information. On the upside, the quality of it is usually second to none.

chris said...

You'd think the inactivists would be able to raise a hundred bucks+S&H.
After all they are so sure that the data would prove them right if only they had access to it.
It must be very hard to be a brilliant citizen-scientist of humble origins who seeks only THE TRUTH when even the government of Canada withholds the vital information you need. Sniff.

Term Papers said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
chris said...

Only slightly OT:

Discarding data.

John Cross said...

Let me add my comments from a research side of things. About 15 years ago we wanted to get access to some data from DFO. They were willing to release it - for a fee (a very substantial fee as well). Our counterparts in States on the project had no problem getting the US data for free.

The rule of thumb seemed to be that in the US, taxes paid for the data so it should be available. In Canada they did not see things like that. My understanding is that access has improved, but I do not know how much.

John