Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Jeremy Clarkson becomes climate change believer

Former Top Gear presenter concedes environmentalists may have a point

Peter Stubley
Sunday 24 November 2019 19:04 EST
Comments
Grand Tour season 3 trailer

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Jeremy Clarkson has claimed he now believes in climate change after he got stuck in a boat on a dried-up river in southeast Asia.

The TV presenter, who has repeatedly dismissed the concerns of environmentalists, said he was convinced by the ”graphic demonstration of global warming” while filming in Cambodia.

As he tried to navigate the Mekong river system from Siem Reap to Vietnam he discovered that one lake had shrunk until it was barely knee-deep.

“It’s the first time that we’ve ever admitted to there being global warming,” Mr Clarkson told The Sunday Times. “It was alarming, genuinely alarming.”

He has previously been targeted by environmental campaigners because of his views on climate change.

“I do have a disregard for the environment,” Mr Clarkson said on one occasion. “I think the world can look after itself and we should enjoy it as best we can.”

In 2005 he admitted that “the world is warming up” but claimed it “isn’t even worthy of a shrug”.

A few months later he was hit in the face with a banana meringue after speaking to students at Oxford Brookes University.

Protesters also dumped manure on the front lawn of his home in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, in 2009 with a banner which read “this is what you’re landing us in”.

Just two months ago the car enthusiast continued his attacks on campaigners, describing 16 year-old Greta Thunberg as a “spoilt brat”.

“I agree with you that the world is heating up,” he told her in his newspaper column. “You may even be right that man has something to do with it... [but] science is what will solve the problem eventually.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in