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The Great Global Warming Swindle: Ofcom judgement

22 July 2008

NERC responds to Ofcom's ruling on complaints about this controversial programme.

In March 2007, Channel 4 broadcast 'The Great Global Warming Swindle', a film that presented arguments of scientists and commentators who do not accept that carbon dioxide produced by human activity is the main cause of climate change.

The controversial film resulted in over 250 complaints to Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. The complaints addressed 'Fairness' and 'Accuracy and Impartiality' issues.

Professor Alan Thorpe, Chief Executive of the Natural Environment Research Council, gave his views about the film through an article last year in New Scientist magazine.

Ofcom found that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the former Government Chief Scientist, Sir David King, and Professor Carl Wunsch were treated unfairly in the programme, which made significant allegations without offering them an opportunity to respond. It also found that the programme had breached the 'due impartiality' requirements of the broadcasting code by failing to present and give due weight to a wide range of views. Whilst Ofcom expressed concern about the presentation and omission of facts and views contained within the programme, it did not, however, find Channel 4 in breach of the code in relation to the scientific debate about the causes of global warming. Ofcom states that, as these parts of the programme were not matters of political or industrial controversy, the rules on due impartiality did not, therefore, apply.

Professor Thorpe said, "The huge weight of scientific evidence is that the human input of gases into the atmosphere is the major cause of global warming seen over the past 50 years. The fact that Ofcom has upheld complaints that the programme did not give due weight to views about this scientific evidence is gratifying. We welcome debate on climate issues but the science needs to be presented accurately if people are to be engaged to make informed judgements.

"At NERC we are committed to providing high-quality research that will help society understand and address climate change and other environmental issues. Our research community continues to work, in partnership with others both nationally and internationally, to provide the highest quality science needed to help us cope with the inevitable changes we all face."

NERC is the UK's biggest funder of environmental science. It spends around a third of its budget on climate change research and is playing a leading role in the UK's Living With Environmental Change programme, a unique partnership that aims to provide the scientific evidence-base that policy-makers and people need to make informed decisions about their future.

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Briefing note: 05/08