29 November 2019 - General elections 2019: climate debate
The climate crisis leaders' debate: what did we learn?
Zoe Williams, Alice Bell, John Vidal and Ellie Mae O’Hagan (The Guardian, 28/11/2019)
The climate change debate left me mournful: it wasn’t the montage of environmental emergency that opened it, though if I never heard the sound of a koala in pain again, that would be a-ok. It wasn’t any of the individual leaders, who all put their best foot forward, though weren’t without their less appealing moments.
It was the magnificent insufficiency of politics, all its conventions, all its rubric, in the face of this disaster. There is nothing like watching five people who fundamentally agree – who all believe the science, who all want to see children grow up into a liveable world, who all see this as the most pressing challenge humanity could face – try to suck endless arguments out of who believes it the most, and whose track record shows them in the best light, that makes you doubt our collective ability to fix this, or indeed, anything.
General election 2019: Climate debate fact-checked
Reality Check team (BBC News, 28/11/2019)
Five party leaders took part in Channel 4's climate debate.
Two other leaders, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage were invited but chose not to take part. They were replaced by melting ice sculptures.
Reality Check has been looking at some of the claims made in the debate.
Boris Johnson refuses to take part in climate debate, despite UN’s dire environmental warning
Emma Snaith (The Independent, 27/11/2019)
Boris Johnson is refusing to take part in the first ever election leader’s debate focusing on the climate crisis, with Channel 4 threatening to leave an empty chair if the prime minister does not attend.
The broadcaster said Mr Johnson had yet to respond to a request to attend the hour-long Emergency On Planet Earth debate on Thursday.
It came hours after the UN published a report warning that countries would need to increase their carbon-cutting efforts five fold to avoid climate chaos.
#BorisTheCoward trends ahead of no-show at climate debate
Zoe Drewett (Metro, 28/11/2019)
Climate change takes centre stage of election campaigning today as party leaders attempt to appeal to voters concerned about the environment.
But while the Labour, SNP, Lib Dem and Green party leaders are gearing up for a head-to-head TV debate on the issue – the prime minister has so far ignored an invite to join them.
Both Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage look set to snub the hour-long Emergency On Planet Earth debate on Channel 4 News.