A French television weather forecaster claimed yesterday that he had been suspended upon the orders of President Hollande after casting doubt on claims that global warming was a planetary threat.
Philippe Verdier, 47 — the French Michael Fish — has been taken off the air by the state-owned France 2 channel after writing a book in which he says that global warming has been exaggerated by scientists, and may anyway be a good thing.
His work, Climat Investigation, comes as Mr Hollande prepares to host the UN climate change conference in Paris next month, when he hopes to secure a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Socialist leader is banking on a success to bolster his beleaguered presidency, while placing France at the centre of the world’s diplomatic stage.
Mr Verdier described the debate over climate change as a “planetary scandal — a war machine whose aim is to keep us in fear”.
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He also sent an open letter to Mr Hollande suggesting that he could do more for the environment by planting a tree at the Élysée palace than by chairing the conference. Mr Verdier believes the presidency intervened to remove him from the airwaves after taking offence at his stance.
“As soon as you offer an opinion that calls into question the legitimacy of the climate change conference, which is in Paris, this opinion is eliminated,” he said.
Mr Verdier, who had taken time off from presenting the evening weather forecast to promote his book, received a letter from his employers telling him to stay away from the station this week. He has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing next week to learn whether he will be sacked, demoted or allowed to return.