David Attenborough: Frozen Planet was not alarmist about climate change
Sir David Attenborough has hit back at claims made by the former chancellor Nigel Lawson that his recent natural history series Frozen Planet promoted climate change "alarmism" and lacked objectivity.
Ahead of the final BBC episode in early December, Attenborough wrote a personal plea in the Radio Times warning of the impending dangers of global warming, in which he pointed to scientific evidence that the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. The article prompted criticism from Lawson who is a prominent climate sceptic. He wrote in the same issue that "when it comes to global warming [Attenborough] seems to prefer sensation to objectivity" and that "Sir David's alarmism is sheer speculation".
Speaking to the Guardian, Attenborough strongly refuted the suggestion that he lacked objectivity: "I am very, very cautious about making sensationalist claims about how disastrous continuing change will be. The most extreme and sensationalist claim I make, or statement that I make, is that a rising sea level that keeps rising and it looks as though it could well do will flood some of the greatest cities in the world, including London. It is an accurate statement and not an exaggerated one."
The series, which ran from late October to early December 2011 and earned consolidated viewing figures of 11 million included a final episode, On Thin Ice, in which the presenter highlighted the impact of global warming on the polar regions a task he says he finds far from enjoyable.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/03/david-attenborough-frozen-planet-climate-change
xchrom
(108,903 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,347 posts)I have to wonder at what point do the critics of overwhelming and longstanding scientific evidence spelling out the catastropic costs from global warming climate change believe an alarm should be sound, after the house has burned to the ground, would they then call the fire department?
Thanks for the thread, dipsydoodle.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)Myrina
(12,296 posts)... they won't believe, regardless of evidence.
Once they're buried - in money and gold or dead and gone - it won't matter.
These people don't care about anything aside from themselves, their immediate families/friends, and their profits.
Matilda
(6,384 posts)He began to change his mind about the science of global warming from his own observations while making his nature programs.
All the more reason to listen to him.
Mr_Jefferson_24
(8,559 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)...which has nothing to do with rich-man-caused climate change. Right, Nigel.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/another-mega-storm-wallops-united-kingdom-images/2012/01/03/gIQAx6X2YP_blog.html