Examination of Witness (Questions 60 -
62)
WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH 2000
SIR JOHN
HOUGHTON CBE
Dr Gibson
60. Sir John, in terms of these models, you
are saying that these methods have been slow to develop and critically
opposing them. What needs to be done to speed that up, do you
think, in terms of government intervention, support, for it?
(Sir John Houghton) In the modelling business, you
mean?
61. Yes.
(Sir John Houghton) The models, of course, are always
crying out for bigger computers, and that is because the finer
the resolution the better result you have. They are also crying
out for better observations, actually, because models do need
observations with which to compare their predictions, and so better
observations, actually, is also a very key aspect of the whole
climate research business.
Chairman
62. Sir John, we have been grilling you now
for just a minute short of an hour and ten minutes, and we have
put a whole variety of questions to you, which you have answered
in an admirable style, without reference to notes, or your aides,
or research assistants, which you have not brought with you anyway.
So we not only thank you for your contribution to our inquiry
but wish to say to you how impressed we are with your very deep
knowledge of this particular subject, to which, of course, you
have dedicated your lifetime's activity, and that is quite apparent
when we talk to you. Thank you for finding time to be with us
this afternoon. We wish you well in your continued researches
and endeavours in this field, and we hope that when our report
is produced, in due course, you will find it of some interest—not,
as I said at the very beginning, that we are looking into climate
change, we are looking into scientific advice, and what you have
told us this afternoon will help us enormously in preparing that
report. Thank you very much indeed.
(Sir John Houghton) Thank you very much for inviting
me. I have absolutely enjoyed coming to see you. Thank you.
Chairman: Thank you, Sir John.
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