The BBC is reportedly set to conduct an investigation into its coverage of climate change, as the public broadcaster faces a credibility crisis on multiple fronts.
In the wake of accusations of spreading fake news about U.S. President Donald Trump and of pushing pro-Hamas propaganda, the broadcaster will reportedly examine its coverage of “energy policy in the UK and climate change”.
According to The Telegraph, the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee decided to launch a “thematic review” of the coverage in response to several high-profile instances of sharing false information about the supposed climate crisis.
This included a stealth edit of an episode of Question Time after being accused of presenting false information about carbon emissions during a debate with Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice.
Last year, an Ofcom complaint was upheld against the BBC over an article which falsely asserted as fact that “human-induced climate change made recent extreme heat in the US south-west, Mexico and Central America around 35 times more likely”.
In 2020, the publicly funded broadcaster removed the Meat: A Threat to our Planet? documentary after a complaint was upheld from the National Farmers’ Union, who argued that the BBC film had given the false impression that British farming practices were similar to factory farming in Brazil or the United States.
Commenting on the reported move to scrutinise its climate coverage, Reform UK deputy leader Tice said: “The BBC must investigate its appalling climate change bias. However, given recent BBC bias scandals, I have no confidence that it will present the true findings. The only solution is to have a totally independent review of the BBC’s climate scaremongering.”
Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho added: “The consensus on how to address climate change is breaking. If we stick to the current path we will be poorer and weaker. It’s vital the BBC is able to report news about climate change impartially and make sure all views are represented.”
Indeed, the reported move comes just days after arch climate doomer Bill Gates backtracked on his alarmist rhetoric and acknowledging that the supposed climate crisis is not a threat to humanity, and that scarce resources would be better spent elsewhere.
“It’s kind of this pragmatic view of somebody who’s, you know, trying to maximize the money and the innovation that goes to help in these poor countries,” Gates said last month.
It comes in the wake of international controversy over “fake news” published by the broadcaster ahead of last year’s U.S. presidential elections, in which deceptive edits falsely made it appear that President Donald Trump had encouraged a riot at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has demanded that BBC Director General Tim Davie address the issue or step down.
“The BBC has been caught red-handed in multiple acts of Left-wing bias. They have grotesquely doctored a speech by President Trump. They have taken the words of Hamas as gospel. They have suppressed debate about the trans issue,” Johnson said.
“Anyone who owns a TV is compelled to fund this organisation. Tim Davie must either explain or resign.”
