Blinkered Broadcasting on Climate

It’s time for the BBC to deal in facts not fiction.

When one thinks of the coverage provided by the BBC the adjectives considered, balanced, factually correct and unbiased could usually be applied.

At Climate Rush we think the BBC is generally a force for good in a media landscape dominated by Machiavellian owners like Murdoch for whom making money for advertisers comes before reporting anything of significance happening in the world.

Unfortunately, the BBC have been naughty when it comes to the biggest crisis facing our generation: climate change.

They are guilty of regularly pitting leading climate scientists against people like Nigel Lawson, founder of anti-climate policy think tank the Global Warming Policy Foundation.

The problem with the BBC’s approach is that 97% of climate scientists agree on the climate science.

By giving equal prominence to both the scientists and sceptics the BBC are doing themselves, and more importantly the British public, a great disservice. It is their duty to give adequate airtime to the scientists and science communications experts who can effectively educate the public on the situation regarding the need to act urgently to tackle climate change.

It is time for the BBC to draw a line under the “debate”. It is over! Climate change is happening. The latest IPCC report provided stronger certainty than ever that climate change is human made and it urged governments, individuals and businesses to take action to save us from 4.8 global temperature increase by the end of the century.

Just take a look around the UK at the communities devastated by the recent flooding. This is our regular future if we don’t act. As guardians of reporting the factual truth it is time the BBC came out the closet on climate change and ended this fictitious debate. The BBC isn’t here to provide us with entertainment when it comes to the news, they are here to tell the public what they need to know - not what gets viewers.

We live in a time of despair but equally of great opportunity. The BBC should be highlighting solutions to the energy crisis, championing the people re-designing the way we feed the planet or the people fighting to protect our marine environment, the designers, the entrepreneurs, the campaigners who accept the facts and deal in creating solutions and hope for a better future living in harmony with the natural environment.

We are calling on the BBC to stop giving airtime to climate change deniers who pedal the interests of big business and deal only in fear and speculation. It’s time for the BBC to step up and make sure 97% percent of coverage on climate change reinforces the fact it is happening and we need to do something about it. We’re not asking for much - simply a representation of the facts.