A car drives along a flooded road in Romsey, southern England on Thursday as Storm Ciarán hit the UK
Should we accuse those feet-dragging conservative media outlets who undermine climate scientists and campaign against net-zero carbon emissions targets? Or are the British populace culpable of not actually wanting to engage with this subject, even when media give it star billing?, points to a mix of all three. A collection of essays from media figures and academics, it suggests that the critical next stage of the struggle to reduce global warming will play out before an ill-informed public.
We tell pollsters we care about environmental destruction. But do viewers – or journalists – see it as news? The pop-up channel “wasn’t popular with the news desk who needed frequent reminders that climate change matters, that there was more to news than just crime, bullets and Westminster gossip,” writes Ryley, a co-editor of the book.climate change faces a harder battle for coverage.
Some politicians are exploiting climate change to chase votes. Hostility to ultra low emission zone schemes at the Uxbridge by-election convinced Rishi Sunak of an election strategy based on “embracing motorists”, argues formerThe Tory press is aligned. When Sunak ditched plans to scrap petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the Daily Mail celebrated victory for its “Rethink the petrol car ban” campaign.claimed a win for its “Give us a brake” crusade.