Sir David Attenborough kicks Lord Lawson's butt

But in a nice way.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraphtv/9049802/Sir-David-Attenborough- hits-back-at-Lord-Lawson-over-Frozen-Planet-climate-change-row.html

Sir David Attenborough hits back at Lord Lawson over Frozen Planet climate change row

Sir David Attenborough has accused Lord Lawson of “unacceptable” selective use of evidence in trying to deny the impacts of global warming.

By Louise Gray7:00AM GMT 31 Jan 201262

The television presenter and the former Chancellor of the Exchequer are at loggerheads over the impacts of climate change.

Lord Lawson said the latest Attenborough BBC series Frozen Planet sensationalised the risks of global warming by claiming melting ice could already be causing a decline in the poplar bear population.

The Tory peer claimed that "the polar bear population has not been falling, but rising".

But Sir David explained that the majority of the studied populations are going down, and those that are increasing have extra factors like a decrease in hunting.

The latest statistics from the IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, show eight populations are declining, three are stable and one is increasing.

The naturalist said it was “unacceptable” to use selective use of evidence to deny polar bear numbers are decreasing overall.
“He [Lawson] said polar bears are increasing. There are a number of polar bear populations ... Most are in decline and just one is increasing – for a number of factors – one being they have stopped hunting.

"That is selective use of evidence that is not really acceptable. Lord Lawson is denying what the whole scientific community is accepting and working at and it is extraordinary thing for him to do.”

Sir David also justified using footage of a polar bear giving birth in a Berlin zoo during Frozen Planet. He said filming an animal giving birth in the wild would risk the lives of the polar bear, the cubs and even the cameraman and the BBC had always been open about where the film came from.

Frozen Planet has been received to worldwide acclaim and is to be shown in the US in March, despite fears broadcasters may be nervous of airing the episode on climate change.

Despite being cautious about the evidence for climate change, having visited both the Artic and Antarctic Sir David is now convinced global warming is a threat and a reduction in carbon emissions could help.

He suggested Lord Lawson denies the impact climate change may be having because it clashes with his idea or economic growth that relies on an increase in fossil fuels.

“Lord Lawson is the ex Chancellor of the Exchequer and the whole of his economic thinking is based on growth and to suddenly uproot and say this is not the case and we are going to have to change our economic policies, at his age – though I daresay he is younger than me – is awkward to do. It is much nicer to say it is not happening, don’t worry, I would love to say that – of course I would, but it is not the case. You just have to look at the facts sometimes.”