In a recent Guardian op-ed, Bob Ward of the Grantham Institute asks an important question: “Why are some British newspapers still denying climate change?” He points out that a number of UK papers still regularly feature climate change denying columnists, with the Daily Mail, Daily Express, London Times, Sun and Telegraph all giving ample space to deniers.
In the US, the picture is flipped. The majority of papers accept the reality of climate change, and only a couple continue to deny the scientific consensus. The Wall Street Journal is the only bastion of denial, joined by a few long-running conservative columnists at the Washington Post, but these do not provide a steady drumbeat of absurdity on par with the UK’s current situation.
Ward also points out that it's not just opinion pieces that are floundering. General reporting is also suffering, as places like the Mail on Sunday or the Daily Express fire legitimate environmental reporters leaving only the voices of denial. One alarmingly good example of this trend can be found in the Daily Express's employment of a "science and paranormal correspondent".
Though there is, perhaps, a market for a paranormal correspondent, considering the Denier Roundup regularly deals with Martians, conspiracies and witch-hunters…
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