Source: BBC Radio 4: Feedback
URL: N/A
Date: 13/08/2017
Event: Jim Al-Khalili: "The fact is, scientists want to change the consensus"
Credit: BBC Radio 4: Feedback
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Roger Bolton: Well, we've been talking about science programmes but let's turn to science coverage in general, including the news. In his 2011 report, the geneticist Professor Steve Jones was asked by the BBC to look into the impartiality and accuracy of the Corporation's science coverage. He found the output to be generally of high quality but he did identify some issues which were of concern, in particular that of false balance, meaning that in an attempt to be even-handed, the views of a tiny minority were given the same weight as those of the overwhelming scientific consensus. Climate change was one example, where this, he thought, was particularly likely to happen. We spoke to Professor Jones for this programme, and he told us that he still believes there is an issue here.
Steve Jones: When I wrote the report, I think the figure was that 90% of all climate scientists were certain that climate change was happening and it was due to human activities. This year it's 97%, so it's pretty hard not to accept that there's a consensus. There's pretty complete consensus that if I throw a pound coin into the air it'll fall to the ground. I mean, quantum mechanics - it's not inconceivable that it would fly off to the planet Venus, but it doesn't happen. So I think you've got to accept that some scientific facts are established. And so you don't need to have this appearance of balance, which actually gives you not balance but really quite severe bias.
Roger Bolton: Jim Al-Khalili, can I just ask you a question which some people have put. Science is usually advanced by questioning the consensus yet here, in climate change, some people suggest we're not allowed to, or shouldn't, question the consensus. As a scientist, how do you respond to that?
Jim Al-Khalili: The fact is, scientists want to change the consensus. We are trying very hard to break our theory, to discover something new. But the fact is, as much as we try, we have to carry out experiments, we have to check our theories, and if they survive, then that gives them more credibility. And something like climate change - you know, we would love for there not to be climate change, we would love to be able to carry on living the way we do. But the evidence is to the contrary.
Roger Bolton: Deborah Cohen, do you accept - does the BBC accept that man-made climate change is what Professor Jones would call an established fact?
Deborah Cohen: Well, it is the scientific consensus, so I think what we do within that consensus is that we talk about how people are drilling down into understanding what's actually happening, and so there's a lot of discussion about exactly how much the Earth might warm. So that is the level at which we now engage with climate change. So we've moved the argument on from that.