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Archive for June, 2009

Climate Projections and Media Priorities

By Jon Agar, on 18 June 2009

Today two sets of data were released. The first, officially released via the House of Commons website, told us very little we did not already know about MP’s expenses. Indeed the important information was withheld, leaving trivial items about household goods. The second data set, the scenarios produced by the Met Office for Defra, is a wealth of information that will guide decisions in areas as diverse as planning, flood defence, social policy and food supply for generations to come.

Can you guess the order in which these stories were reported on the Today programme?

The headline story was MP’s expenses. The UK Climate Projections story was item four, slightly above speculation that mammoths might have lived on longer than expected.

Hilary Benn, the minister responsible for adaptation to climate change, was interviewed on the Projections, but half of the interview was devoted to the expenses row. When it came to climate change he did well, despite – in 2009! – wasting further time having to rebut sceptic arguments.