The High Court decision on the Judicial Review of NIWA’s New Zealand temperature record was issued today. I will comment in more depth next week but interested readers can download and read the judgement themselves.
In short – the arguments made by the climate change denial/sceptics/ contrarian groups were tossed out and costs will be awarded against them.
Here is the judgement’s summary:
“[185] The plaintiff does not succeed on any of its challenges to the three decisions of NIWA in issue. The application for judicial review is dismissed and judgment entered for the defendant.
Costs
[186] The defendant is entitled to costs. Given the time involved and the steps taken, costs on a category 2 time band C would seem appropriate. However, if the parties are unable to agree I will receive memoranda and deal with the issue of costs on the basis of such memoranda.”
This is welcome news, but we need to remember that the science has been neither proven nor disproved here. It is just that a particular line of attack on the science has been found to be inadequate. I’m sure they will have another go.