date: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 10:41:54 +0100 from: Heinz Wanner subject: Hockeystick to: k.briffa@uea.ac.uk Dear Keith, I am quite amused about the fact that everybody wants to express his/her concern about the hocheystick story. It is in a certain sense ridiculous, on the other hand we have to define our position. I had to give several interviews (TV, radio, newspapers) but tried just to explain science. Now an old story is warmed up. I was a reviewer of the IPCC-TAR report 2001. In my review which I can not find again in its precise wording I critcized the fact that the whole Mann hockeytick is being printed in its full length in the IPCC-TAR report. In 1999 I made the following comments: 1. The spatial, temporal (tree-ring data in the midlatitudes mainly contain "summer information") and spectral coverage and behaviour of the data is questionable, mainly before 1500-1600 AD. 2. It is in my opinion not appropriate already to make statements for the southern hemisphere and for the period prior to 1500 AD. My review was classified "unsignificant" even I inquired several times. Now the internationally well known newspaper SPIEGEL got the information about these early statements because I expressed my opinion in several talks, mainly in Germany, in 2002 and 2003. I just refused to give an exclusive interview to SPIEGEL because I will not cause damage for climate science. I just told a woman from SPIEGEL that I do carefully follow the activities and the forthcoming of the next IPCC report and I will then take position concerning the paleoclimate chapter there. I thought it is meaningful to infomr you about this fact. Cheers, Heinz --------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Heinz Wanner, Prof., Director of NCCR (National Center of Competence in Research in Climate) --------------------------------------------------------------- Office Institute of Geography: Office NCCR Climate: Institute of Geography NCCR Climate Climatology and Meteorology Management Center Hallerstrasse 12 Erlachstrasse 9a CH-3012 Bern CH-3012 Bern Phone +41 (0)31 631 8885 Phone +41 (0)31 631 3160 Fax +41 (0)31 631 8511 Fax +41 (0)31 631 4383 www.giub.unibe.ch/klimet/ www.nccr-climate.unibe.ch e-mail: heinz.wanner@giub.unibe.ch ---------------------------------------------------------------