An appeal against a 2012 High Court ruling which confirmed the integrity of NIWA's climate science was withdrawn yesterday by the appellants. The New Zealand Climate Education Trust withdrew its appeal to the Court of Appeal following intense questioning from the Court.
NIWA Chief Executive John Morgan said the Trust, and its sister organisation the Climate Science Coalition, had no evidence to support their allegations, and the decision to withdraw was the right one.
"We are very pleased with the outcome, but we never doubted the excellence and integrity of our science and our scientists," Mr Morgan said.
In the Judicial Review hearing before the High Court in 2012, Justice Venning was unequivocal in his findings in support of NIWA, reinforcing NIWA's professionalism and credibility in climate science. "NIWA applied credible scientific methodology and as such did not breach any obligation it may have to pursue excellence," he said, and "the methodology applied by NIWA was in accordance with internationally recognised and credible scientific methodology."
Mr Morgan said: "We were not surprised by the outcome in the Court of Appeal, because we were very confident in the High Court's ruling, and never doubted the robustness of our science and the integrity and professionalism of our scientists."
The High Court in 2012 awarded costs in NIWA's favour. A decision on costs related to yesterday's Court of Appeal hearing is pending.
