Iain Murray offers a useful primer on e-mails from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia in the UK (mentioned by Goldfarb, here), hacked and publicized, which revealed systematic, less-than-scientific treatment of data in order to bolster global-warming claims. Read the whole thing, but the bottom line:
So what does this all mean? It does not mean that there is no warming trend or that mankind has not been responsible for at least some of the warming. To claim that as result of these documents is clearly a step too far. However, it is clear that at least one branch of climate science - paleoclimatology - has become hopelessly politicized to the point of engaging in unethical and possibly illegal behavior. To the extent that paleoclimatology is an important part of the scientific case for action regarding global warming, urgent reassessments need to be made. In the meantime, all those responsible for political action on global warming should stop the process pending the results of inquiries, investigations, and any criminal proceedings. What cannot happen is the process carrying on as if nothing has happened.