Secrecy breach by US officials steals thunder of climate change report

· Draft findings posted on internet months early
· Action on global warming undermined, experts fear

David Adam, environment correspondent
Thursday May 4, 2006
The Guardian

A confidential draft of a high-level international report on the state of climate change has been posted on the internet by US officials months before it was due to be made public. The move to effectively publish the findings of the influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has surprised experts, who say it could undermine the final report when it is released in February.

The IPCC's fourth report draws together research over the last five years to predict the likely course of global warming. The draft was sent to governments for comment last month.