OTTAWA — Environment Minister Jim Prentice dismissed the conspiracy theories attached to the “climategate” allegations, insisting global warming is real and Canada needs to cut emissions.

The controversy surrounds the temporary resignation of Phil Jones, head of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, in the U.K., who is stepping down temporarily amid allegations of misconduct.

It all began when hackers stole thousands of e-mails at the research unit sent between top climate change scientists suggesting they suppressed contradictory research.

“What I take from what’s happened at the East Anglia institution is that there were some serious allegations of impropriety and some serious questions about the quality of the scientific work that was done there,” Prentice said. “It does not change the position of Canada ... The science overall is relatively clear on all of this and as a conservationist and as a responsible environmental steward Canada wants to see carbon emissions reduced.”

peter.zimonjic@sunmedia.ca