IPCC Fifth Assessment Report

The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was released today, and it's been interesting to read how various organs of the UK media have dealt with it. The following observations all relate to the online press:

At last, the BBC - radio, television and BBC News website - presented the IPCC information in a clear, unbiased way, with a top headline article on the website. No more "it's all too complicated and there's nothing we can do about it anyway".

The Guardian also has a clear and thorough article, although they didn't make it a headline item. Maybe tomorrow?

The Independent placed their article 20th on the web page, after Firing Between N & S Korea, N. Farage's opinion of V. Putin, how Steve Jobs got a Google employee fired, and many more. Nevertheless, the IPCC article is lengthy and well illustrated.

The Times & Financial Times - nothing. Maybe tomorrow?

The Telegraph put it on the front page under the headline "Britain should prepare for an influx of 'climate change refugees'". Yes, that's the most important implication of the IPCC report. The article is full of quotes, rather than analysis, implying "can you believe this stuff?" with alongside links to older related articles such as Boris Johnson's June 2013 "The weather prophets should be chucked in the deep end".

Daily Mail & Sun - nothing.

Daily Express - "Climate change to bring more floods, UN warns" - in a brief article towards the bottom of the page, noting the discrepancies found in the 2007 report about glacier melting, and the proportion of Holland below sea level. "Sceptics have also seized on a slowdown in the rate of warming in the past 15 years." It's true, sceptics did seize on that rumour, but is it still relevant?

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The big change (to my eyes at any rate) is the BBC. No more false "balance", just straightforward reporting. The Guardian has long been a strong advocate of action to deal with climate change. Perhaps the other serious newspapers are still digesting the report, maybe looking for more holes to pick instead of putting the message across.