Woke BBC warns of 'climate anxiety' epidemic after broadcaster's drastic ramping up of coverage

BBC sign External Sign London, England

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Jack Walters

By Jack Walters


Published: 22/11/2023

- 09:57

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The BBC has been warning readers about a so-called “climate anxiety” epidemic after the broadcaster increased its coverage on the issue.

Data revealed exclusively on the corporation’s website showed queries related to “climate anxiety” have risen extensively in recent years.


The Google-compiled data showed women are more affected by concerns about climate change than men, including wildfires and floods.

Its report claimed: “Search queries in English around ‘climate anxiety’ in the first 10 months of 2023 are 27 times higher than the same period in 2017.”

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Explaining the phenomenon, the BBC added: “Climate anxiety is anxiety specifically associated with awareness of climate change.

“Eco-anxiety is a more general anxiety associated with awareness of threats to environmental health, including pollution and loss of biodiversity.”

Nordic countries, such as Sweden and Denmark, accounted for more than 40 per cent of search queries related to “climate anxiety”.

The report comes almost two years after BBC director-general Tim Davie said it is no longer “politically controversial” to report on climate change with a stance suggesting it is caused by humanity’s actions.

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The BBC’s due impartiality requirements mean journalists must not take a position on political debates around how to tackle the crisis.

However, Davie said: “I don’t think it’s politically controversial now.

“The overwhelming consensus is that we, as humanity, are causing global warming.

“There are voices on the fringes but, in my view, when it comes to due impartiality for the BBC, we are now at a point where we have consensus around that.

Steam and exhaust rise from different companies on a cold winter day

Steam and exhaust rise from different companies on a cold winter day

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“But then you do get into political debate around policy, speed of change, the social consequences – there is tough stuff to debate and we will do that as the BBC.”

The BBC has also produced a “smart guide to climate change” which suggests internet habits could adversely impact the environment.

Pressure has mounted on the corporation to uphold its commitment to impartiality following its coverage of Israel’s war with Ukraine.

Calls for change continued yesterday after Tory MP Rachel Maclean penned a letter to Davie asking about Africa Editor Mary Harper’s involvement in Yaqub Ahmed’s deportation.

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