Extreme weather disasters have been at the forefront of our news in 2018. Millions have been affected across the world. Such events are predicted to become more regular and more extreme.
In the UK, the BBC has, at last, woken up to climate change. No longer should we hear our public service broadcaster giving equal weight to climate change deniers, Lord Lawson et al, allowing misleading claims to go unchallenged.
BBC to reporters: "You do not need to include outright deniers of climate change in BBC coverage, in the same way you would not have someone denying that Manchester United won 2-0 last Saturday. The referee has spoken." https://t.co/xDui0gcGZl via @CarbonBrief pic.twitter.com/XLfNdLuKwR— Climate Nexus (@ClimateNexus) September 10, 2018
The BBC has now issued formal guidance to its journalists on how to report climate change:
Man-made climate change exists: If the science proves it we should report it. The BBC accepts that the best science on the issue is the IPCC’s position...
Be aware of ‘false balance’: As climate change is accepted as happening, you do not need a ‘denier’ to balance the debate. Although there are those who disagree with the IPCC’s position, very few of them now go so far as to deny that climate change is happening. To achieve impartiality, you do not need to include outright deniers of climate change in BBC coverage, in the same way you would not have someone denying that Manchester United won 2-0 last Saturday. The referee has spoken.
The referee has spoken. But not last week. Not last year. The scientific community began reaching consensus in the 1980s, having first argued in the late 19th century that human emissions of greenhouse gases could change the climate. And it wasn’t just the scientific community; in the 1980s Shell and Exxon also predicted – privately – the consequences of CO2 emissions:
Shell’s assessment foresaw a one-meter sea-level rise, and noted that warming could also fuel disintegration of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, resulting in a worldwide rise in sea level of “five to six meters”... enough to inundate entire low-lying countries.
The referee has spoken. So why are companies like Aggregate Industries – which, judging by its record on CO2 emissions, is still seemingly in denial about actually having to do anything about climate change – still behaving as if it’s business as usual, still planning a multi-million mile CO2 intensive, climate-damaging, environmentally-selfish haulage scheme across Devon?
The referee has spoken. So why is DCC still entertaining this ludicrous scheme?
The referee has spoken. But clearly some people are still ignoring the score.
The referee has spoken. And millions are finding out what that means.
Our thoughts are with those affected by Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut.— COP23 (@COP23) September 19, 2018
These two recent #ExtremeWeather events remind us of the urgency of the #climate crisis and the need for maximum ambition. https://t.co/pZQw3MeA7o
