In mid-November 2009 hackers accessed a significant amount of data from a world-renowned climate research institute, the University of East Anglia in England. When stolen emails were leaked it sent the climate change-denying community into a frenzy. The emails that contained open dialogue between climatologists using lab slang quickly became fodder for pundits to spin. The scandal became known as “Climategate”.
Then just a few days ago, the European Emissions Trading System (the EU carbon market) was hit with a phishing scheme that compromised transactions and customer information. Germany alone has 2,000 accounts. The scam resulted in 250,000 allowances being stolen, which if sold on the open market could be valued at $4 million USD.
These unfortunate events have stirred up a lot controversy. The legitimacy of global warming was attacked and just as Congress is pushing a Cap and Trade bill, the EU’s system is undermined. But what were the motives for these attacks? I doubt that there is an underlying conspiracy. However, is there something deeper with these cyber crimes hitting environmentally charged institutions? What do you think?
Joe – @PineMark
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