TV Review by Mark Langabeer, Hastings and Rye Labour Party Member
This drama, broadcast on BBC 1 and available on i-player (here), is a story based upon real events. It deals with the attempt by climate change deniers to denigrate Philip Jones, a leading climate scientist and director of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia.
It was dubbed in the press the ‘Climategate scandal’, after the files at the Climate Research Unit were hacked by an unknown source which claimed that Jones had knowingly concealed information that cast doubt about the likely rise in temperatures and the environmental impact that this could cause. The story begins three months before the International Conference on Climate Change (COP 15) in 2009.The adverse publicity and abuse that Jones suffered led him to suicidal thoughts. Even the outspoken environmentalist, George Monbiot, called for his resignation.
However, he had the backing of his colleagues at the research centre and the head of the University. Most importantly, he had the unstinting support given by his wife. Jones was called to attend a House of Commons select committee hearing. His colleagues were concerned about Jones ability to stand up to the grilling and brought in a couple of PR experts to train him in his responses.
The boss of the PR Company, a former employee in Fleet Street, advises Jones to avoid jargon and where possible, give a yes or no answer to questions. His initial thoughts were that the select committee would eat him alive (Jones). As it turned out, Jones performed well and the select committee concluded that Jones had not committed deception and he and his department had been victims of a smear campaign.
Follow the money
Jones had informed the police about the hacking of files and one scene in the drama has an investigating officer suggesting that the most likely source for the cyber-attack was the USA. Although he states that it could have been Russia, China or India, if you are really following the money, the most likely source was the US-based oil and gas companies. In another part of the film, the younger guy of the PR firm states that not only the same tactics were used to blunt the truth about the health effects of tobacco, it was the same people.
Nigel Lawson, a former Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer often appeared on programmes claiming that human induced climate change was false.
Jones and his colleagues believe that the consequences of the hacking and the misinformation by climate change deniers had put back the need to end production of fossil fuels and other changes by a decade. The aim was to question the science and prevent action on change worldwide.
Catastrophe
The Climate Research Unit’s modelling has been supported by all the other research bodies and to do nothing would result in a catastrophe that would result in the end of civilization by the beginning of the next century. Today, little is heard about climate change denial. Former deniers, like Boris Johnson, claim to be leading the way and believe that new technology offers a solution.
Essentially, they believe that the market will offer a way out of the climate crises. In my view, social change is the only real solution. The United Nations report that the current trajectory for temperature rises is 2.7 centigrade. This is well above the target of 1.5 and will result in famine and mass migration due to rises in sea water levels.
The Labour Movement must inscribe on its banner the public ownership of the major companies in order to protect life itself.
