A group of climate-change sceptics has been forced to pay court costs over their unsuccessful legal challenge against the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).
The New Zealand Climate Science Education Trust took Niwa to court saying its science was faulty and that was unacceptable because its findings guided national policymaking.
The case was abandoned when judges ruled scientific argument was not appropriate for determination by a court of law.
The High Court awarded costs of about $80,000 against the trust, which then asked the Court of Appeal for a discount arguing its members had acted in the public interest.
But the court has concluded the trust was mounting a crusade against Niwa and was not acting reasonably.
