As Hurricane Irma coverage dominated network news coverage on Monday, it was inevitable that the journalists would embrace climate change during the reporting. Both ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS This Morning suggested this as the culprit.
Talking to FEMA Director Brock Long, Norah O’Donnell demanded, “...Two category four storms in the same year, apparently unprecedented the size of these. How much does climate change play a role in these natural disasters?”
Wanting to focus on the actual recovery, Long responded, “Well, regardless of what causes the increase in disasters, I have to be prepared to handle the consequence management of it.”
Over on ABC’s GMA, George Stephanopoulos connected Irma and Harvey: “A lot look at these two back-to-back hurricanes, two powerful hurricanes back-to-back and think there must be some connection to climate change.”
On August 30, Rice University Professor Jim Blackburn called Harvey a “climate-influenced storm.”
During live coverage this weekend, MSNBC hosts fretted that there’s not enough climate change talk. Host Ali Velshi described Irma as the “perfect time” to have a warming discussion.
[ABC and CBS’s bias was sponsored by Land Rover and Uncle Julio’s restaurant, as well as Xfinity and Stanley Steemer carpets.]
Transcripts of the two questions are below:
CBS This Morning
9/11/17
9:35am ETNORAH O’DONNELL: We were talking here about what we just witnessed because two category four storms in the same year apparently unprecedented the size of these. How much does climate change play a role in these natural disasters?
BROCK LONG (FEMA director): Well, regardless of what causes the increase in disasters, I have to be prepared to handle the consequence management of it.
Good Morning America
9/11/17
8:42am ETGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: I want to throw out one more question. Because a lot look at these two back-to-back hurricanes, two powerful hurricanes back-to-back and think there must be some connection to climate change.
GINGER ZEE: And I think it's irresponsible not to talk about the warmth of the Earth and you have to get that but remember this has a lot to do with how we plan our cities, where the water is kept and I think the sustainability needs to be addressed just as much as climate change when linked to that potentially for science.
