Uncertain Climate

In a special Radio 4 series the BBC's Environmental Analyst Roger Harrabin questions whether his own reporting - and that of others - has adequately told the whole story about global warming.

Roger Harrabin has reported on the climate for almost thirty years off and on, but last November while working on the "Climategate" emails story, he was prompted to look again at the basics of climate science.

He finds that the public under-estimate the degree of consensus among scientists that humans have already contributed towards the heating of the climate , and will almost certainly heat the climate more.

But he also finds that politicians and the media often fail to convey the huge uncertainty over the extent of future climate change. Whilst the great majority of scientists fear that computer models suggest we are facing potentially catastrophic warming, some climate scientists think the warming will be restricted to a tolerable 1C or 1.5C.

At this crucial moment in global climate policy making, Harrabin talks to seminal characters in the climate change debate including Tony Blair, Lord Lawson, Professor Bob Watson, former diplomat Sir Crispin Tickell and the influential blogger Steve McIntyre.

And he asks how political leaders make decisions on the basis of uncertain science.

Producer: Daniel Tetlow.

Roger Harrabin asks whether the arguments surrounding climate change can ever be won.

Roger Harrabin investigates whether the arguments over climate change can ever be won

In a special Radio 4 series 'Uncertain Climate', the BBC's Environmental Analyst Roger Harrabin
questions whether his own reporting - and that of others - has adequately told the story about global warming.

Roger Harrabin has reported on the climate for almost thirty years, but last November while working on the "Climategate" emails story, he was prompted to look again at the basics of climate science.

At this crucial moment in global climate policy making, he talks to seminal characters in the climate change debate including Tony Blair, Lord Lawson, Sir Crispin Tickell and the influential blogger Steve McIntyre.

This second programme discusses the nature of uncertainty in science. It asks whether scientists have properly explained climate uncertainties or whether they have been seduced by reporters into simple headline statements.

The programme examines how scientific uncertainly plays out in the media and politics.

Producer: Daniel Tetlow.

Roger Harribin asks how climate policy decisions can be taken amid scientific uncertainty.

Roger Harrabin investigates whether the arguments over climate change can ever be won