French TV changes weather forecast to include climate change context

Two French television channels have changed their daily weather bulletins to include context on the impacts of climate change.

France 2 and France 3 made the change on Monday (March 13), calling the segment ‘a weather and climate update’ (journal de la météo et du climat).

The aim is to better explain the consequences of climate change on the weather, said France Télévisions.

Alexandre Kara, director of the group, told AFP: “It’s about explaining the weather differently; not just saying: ‘It will be fine tomorrow or it will rain’, but also to explain why.”

The programme will now also include “figures and data, we could cover temperature anomalies, the dry water table, or explain winter drought.”

The presenters will also respond to questions from viewers, and internet users under the hashtag #OnVousRépond (We reply to you).

These updates will initially be included in evening forecast segments. They will add around 90 seconds to the France 2 programme, and two minutes to the one on France 3. They will eventually be included in daytime forecasts too.

“We can’t keep doing the forecast as it’s always been done,” added Mr Kara. “It’s unacceptable to be happy about the fact that it’s 25 degrees in Biarritz in February, without explaining why.”

France Télévisions called upon several experts to help it make the change.

This included Christophe Cassou, a climate researcher at France’s National centre for scientific research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique), who said: “We are experiencing climate change, we can feel it in our daily lives, now, everywhere, it is intensifying. The weather is part of this dynamic and….from now on, all France TV's weather reports will integrate this reality.”

In a series of tweets, he said: “Daily temperatures, the forecast, are influenced by planetary reheating caused by CO2 emissions by human activity. We needed to change weather forecast programmes, which have remained largely unchanged for 30 years.”

Climate change ‘strategy’

This inclusion of climate notes is a “strategic priority” for France Télévisions, the director said. He added that this information is already part of the news output, including its TV and magazine content.

The FranceInfo website already lets users look at today’s weather, and compare it to the same day and temperature from the past few decades, to show changing trends.

The company is also taking steps to reduce climate change.

Mr Kara said: “Except for extremely breaking news, we will no longer use planes for reporters within the mainland (of France). We will ask everyone to take the train.”

Staff are also set to receive training on climate change and how to save energy.

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