Most people still rely on the broadcast media for news. UK broadcasters are legally bound to be balanced. Climate change deniers have used this to get their views reported by broadcasters when they report on Global Warming, even though they have little scientific support. Chris Huhne should be able to use the same argument to ensure that every time broadcasters report predictions about the future, they include a reference to the disastrous effects that global warming will have.

The most common prediction which is made is that China and India will continue their current rate of economic growth into 2050 and beyond. Over and over again I hear the phrase “the fundamentals of the Indian economy are good”. Yet one bad monsoon in 2009 was blamed for food price inflation throwing the Indian economy off course in 2010. Chris Huhne said after the Cancun Summit that the world is on course for a 5℃ rise in global temperatures by 2100. This will have a catastrophic effect on food production, and the economies of virtually all countries. It is inconceivable that it won’t be having an impact by 2050.

Other recent predictions which ignored Global Warming have been on population, life expectancy, and housing.

A Recent ITV program by John Pilger “ (The War you don’t see”, 14/12/2010) said that British news broadcasters live in dread of a complaint by the Israelis if they broadcast anything which offends them. Broadcasters should be made to feel the same dread if they report any predictions about the future which ignore the terrifying effects which Global Warming is going to have. As Climate Change Minister, Chris Huhne has a duty to use the full resources of his department to do this.