And, of course, Peiser is more than just a social anthropologist.  He's one whose recent research has focused primarily on the social aspects of climate change and is thus at least as qualified to comment on the state of consensus as a historian.  Regarding his study, it hasn't been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but the results have appeared in many reliable sources.  In effect, it should be treated no differently than as if Peiser himself (or any other scientist) had verbally relayed the conclusions directly to a reporter.  Literally tens of thousands of Wiki articles contain such references direct quotes from scientists, which appear in no other source but through the medium of a reputable reporter.