{"id":279812,"date":"2023-09-21T14:14:41","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T12:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=279812"},"modified":"2023-09-21T14:14:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-21T12:14:44","slug":"media-watch-sunaks-net-zero-climbdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=279812","title":{"rendered":"Media Watch: Sunak\u2019s Net Zero climbdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Net Zero Watch<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In scaling back many Net Zero policies Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the most radical climate policy decision a UK government has made in years. It dominated the evening news and if you watched the reports, as I did, you would have been hard-pressed to find anyone speaking up to support the government.<\/strong>

What might be surprising to some is that the best of the night\u2019s efforts was, I thought, from the\u00a0BBC<\/a>, principally because they excluded its climate editor Justin Rowlatt, whose barely suppressed anger the previous evening made a mockery of balanced reporting. One good point in the BBC\u2019s six o\u2019clock news and BBC News at Ten was the inclusion of Jacob Rees-Mogg as the lone voice supporting the changes in policy.

ITV\u2019s news at 18.30 had Robert Peston who casually linked global warming with weather extremes, thereby showing he didn\u2019t know the science of global warming or the difference between weather and climate. Never mind, others did the same.

The subsequent report on\u00a0News at Ten<\/a>\u00a0brought in the business backlash at the start. It only mentioned the comments made by the Ford motor company who were critical of the changes, but failed to mention supportive statements by Toyota and Jaguar-Land Rover who said they were in favour and Vauxhall who said the changes would make no difference to them. Again no one was included who spoke-up for the new proposals. Curiously, there was an interview with Gill Nowell who was described as being an electric vehicle owner. No mention was made that she is a\u00a0green campaigner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But the hostility of Channel 4 News<\/a> was beyond the pale. It had a backdrop that read, \u201cEmergency on Planet Earth,\u201d which told you all you needed to know about the report. After critical comments by Ford, it was the turn of Emily Shuckburgh the Director of Cambridge Zero, the University of Cambridge\u2019s climate change initiative, to attack Rishi Sunak. Sir Simon Clarke MP followed with his criticism and then Sharon Lane of Tees Components (also against Sunak). Then the report moved to a motor leasing conference from which it included Tony Poston of the British Vehicle Retail and Licensing Association (against Sunak) and Marc Palmer of Autotrader magazine (also against Sunak.)

So far the Channel 4 News coverage was quite evidently partisan, an impression confirmed by an interview with Chris Skidmore MP (strongly against Sunak) who was handed soft questions by Krishnan Guru-Murthy. By this time I was thinking that surely someone would be brought on who actually supported Sunak\u2019s reforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter George Eustace MP who did but he was harangued by Guru-Murthy and given a much tougher time than Skidmore. Guru-Murthy made a serious blunder by confusing suggestions made by the Climate Change Committee which Sunak rejected with adopted government policies that would now be cancelled.

At the end of the interview George Eustace said Sunak still wanted to get to Net Zero but what he had done was a refinement of the course. At this Guru-Murthy laughed in a mocking way and turned back to the camera with a smile leaving viewers with no doubt how ridiculous he thought that answer was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next against a backdrop of flames, Guru-Murthy turned to reporter Alex Thompson<\/a> who said he would look at the physics of the announcement. This was accompanied by his description of a series of catastrophic images on the screen being with the floods in Libya and the smoke in Manhattan from Canadian bush fires. The recent flood in Libya has nothing to do with climate change and was all to do with a lack of maintenance of the now burst dams. The same goes for the Canadian fires whose cause can be laid at poor forrest maintenance policies and arson. He also mentioned Zack Goldsmith (against Sunak), Sir Alok Sharma MP (against Sunak) and Lord Deben (you can guess his position). Nobody was in favour of the new proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All things considered it was a classic night of one-sided and hyped up climate reporting. The prize for most biased climate bias goes to Channel 4 News, with a special commendation for Krishnan Guru-Murthy\u2019s mocking laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feedback: david.whitehouse@netzerowatch.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In scaling back many Net Zero policies Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the most radical climate policy decision a UK government has made in years. It dominated the evening news and if you watched the reports, as I did, you would have been hard-pressed to find anyone speaking up to support the government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":279817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818389,691822841,691818056,691818154,691821584,691818248],"class_list":{"0":"post-279812","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-bbc","9":"tag-channel-4-news","10":"tag-climate-change","11":"tag-net-zero","12":"tag-prime-minister-rishi-sunak-2","13":"tag-uk","15":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00Screenshot-2023-09-21-at-04.02.32.jpg?fit=1554%2C826&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1aN6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":280155,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=280155","url_meta":{"origin":279812,"position":0},"title":"British PM Announces Net Zero Retreat as King Charles Visits France","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"23\/09\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Did Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wait until King Charles was safely on his way to France, before announcing a Net Zero retreat?","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00The-Carbon-Footprint-of-Your-Commercial-Building-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1168%2C642&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00The-Carbon-Footprint-of-Your-Commercial-Building-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1168%2C642&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00The-Carbon-Footprint-of-Your-Commercial-Building-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1168%2C642&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00The-Carbon-Footprint-of-Your-Commercial-Building-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1168%2C642&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00The-Carbon-Footprint-of-Your-Commercial-Building-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1168%2C642&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":282279,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=282279","url_meta":{"origin":279812,"position":1},"title":"Chris Packham issues legal challenge against Rishi\u00a0Sunak","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/10\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Lower CO2 emissions to limit global warming and climate change. Concept with manager hand turning knob to reduce levels of CO2. New technology to decarbonize industry, energy and transport From Tallbloke's Talkshop October 6, 2023 by\u00a0oldbrew\u00a0 Climate lawfare by carbophobes again. \u2018The ball is in your court, Prime Minister\u2019. At\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Chris Packham\"","block_context":{"text":"Chris Packham","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=chris-packham"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0GettyImages-1305361225-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0GettyImages-1305361225-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0GettyImages-1305361225-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0GettyImages-1305361225-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0GettyImages-1305361225-scaled-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":232824,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=232824","url_meta":{"origin":279812,"position":2},"title":"Rishi Sunak\u2019s incoherent energy policy will poison Britain\u2019s future","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/12\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"With one hand the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is banning exploration for natural gas onshore in the UK, and with the other he is encouraging further development of physically inferior energy sources such as wind and solar.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/00Screenshot-2022-12-07-132454.png?fit=896%2C459&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/00Screenshot-2022-12-07-132454.png?fit=896%2C459&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/00Screenshot-2022-12-07-132454.png?fit=896%2C459&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/00Screenshot-2022-12-07-132454.png?fit=896%2C459&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":294162,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=294162","url_meta":{"origin":279812,"position":3},"title":"Chris Skidmore quits to leave Rishi Sunak facing another by-election","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/01\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"A former energy minister has quit over Rishi Sunak\u2019s plans to boost\u00a0oil and gas fields in the North Sea, ahead of a major Commons battle next week.","rel":"","context":"In \"Chris Skidmore\"","block_context":{"text":"Chris Skidmore","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=chris-skidmore"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0Chris-Skidmore.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0Chris-Skidmore.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0Chris-Skidmore.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0Chris-Skidmore.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0Chris-Skidmore.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":279706,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=279706","url_meta":{"origin":279812,"position":4},"title":"Sunak breaks the Net Zero\u00a0consensus","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/09\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Home Secretary\u2019s statement that the UK \u2018is not going to save the planet by bankrupting the British people\u2019 is a welcome acknowledgment of Net Zero Watch\u2019s warnings that current Net Zero plans are economically self-destructive and politically irrational.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate Change Act\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate Change Act","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change-act"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-629.png?fit=1200%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-629.png?fit=1200%2C451&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-629.png?fit=1200%2C451&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-629.png?fit=1200%2C451&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-629.png?fit=1200%2C451&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":279609,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=279609","url_meta":{"origin":279812,"position":5},"title":"Sunak breaks the Net Zero consensus","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"20\/09\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"According to news reports, Rishi Sunak is set to delay a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035 amid economic hardship for millions of families. The Prime Minister is also considering watering down the ban on gas boilers in homes in order to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"ban on gas boilers\"","block_context":{"text":"ban on gas boilers","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=ban-on-gas-boilers"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00net-zero_cities.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00net-zero_cities.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00net-zero_cities.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00net-zero_cities.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/00net-zero_cities.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=279812"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":279819,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279812\/revisions\/279819"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/279817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=279812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=279812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=279812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}