Extracts from Ofcom Complaint, by Category: Misrepresentation of People’s Views

Extracts From Complete Transcript and Rebuttal

Misrepresentation of Carl Wunsch’s Views

[This section was considered by both the the Fairness and Standards Divisions of Ofcom.]

[Comment 54: Wunsch has since clarified these remarks, saying that “… I was trying to explain that warming the ocean was dangerous because it could potentially release so much CO₂. That was used to make the point that most of the CO₂ in the ocean is ‘natural’ and so not a human caused problem.” (http://tinyurl.com/2abj44). The context provided by the narration therefore misrepresents Wunsch’s point in a deeply misleading way.

See also Wunsch’s response at: http://tinyurl.com/2fcfnh, in which he writes: “my intent was to explain that warming the ocean could be dangerous, because it is such a gigantic reservoir of carbon. By its placement in the film, it appears that I am saying that since carbon dioxide exists in the ocean in such large quantities, human influence must not be very important – diametrically opposite to the point I was making – which is that global warming is both real and threatening.” ]

(In breach of the 2003 Communications Act Section 265, Ofcom 5.7, 7.2, 7.3, 7.6, 7.9)