A new comedy project in which leading comedians and climate scientists present an innovative way of communicating the climate crisis.
“If people like me have to get involved in this, then we’re in deep shit,” says Jo Brand, famous British comedian and host of The Great British Bake Off. Why? Because she joined the ranks of other prominent comedians such as Nish Kumar, Kiri Pritchard-McLeanAND Jonathan Pie IN Climate science translateda project that translates complex climate science into accessible and entertaining content to inspire millions of people to take action.
Even though climate change exists greatest threat ever faced by humanity, research conducted by the Climate Science Breakthrough team shows that only 2% of the population can name a climate scientist. Almost everyone knows Jo Brand. Getting famous comedians to translate climate scientists’ statements in a funny, ironic and often blunt way makes science much more accessible.
And it works. Research shows that humor can be a tool for transformation science communication and have a positive impact on people’s understanding of climate change. So far my video with Jo Brand it has been viewed over 3 million times and gained mainstream attention, with stars including Ellie Goulding, Gary Lineker, Rainn Wilson and Thom Yorke retweeting the videos. Each time he conveys this core message to a wider audience.
It also works because comedians can say things that scientists can’t – they can swear, for example. Jo asked me in the chat after the main video: “Is it time for scientists to be able to swear if the situation is so bad?” My answer, which can be found in the video clip below, is no. Because society expects scientists to be calm, rational and stick to the facts – as soon as we “become human”, we lose credibility. So in many ways Jo Brand is the human side of me that is screaming at everyone to do something, now!
The video premiere also attracted attention Good morning, Britannia – Jo Brand and I were invited to appear on the show. Susanna Reed asked me why I did it agreed to make the film with Jo Brand. My answer was simple: “Without the wonderful Jo Brand, would I be on national breakfast television discussing climate change?”
Celebrities have access to a much wider audience than scientists. Imagine Taylor Swift dating a climate scientist and not an American football player.
Later that morning, TV presenters Susanna Reed and Richard Medley asked British Environment Secretary Steve Barclay one of my questions: “Why has the government granted new oil and gas licenses when we already have enough reserves to warm the climate well above 2˚C?” Since the new licenses will not be valid for ten to 15 years and will have no impact on global costs, consumers will continue to face very high energy prices.
No wonder he dodged the question – but it was asked on breakfast TV because I was in a comedy video.
Finding a funny one
Comic Relief is a perfect example of how effective comedy can be. In 2022, it reached a milestone of raising over £1.5 billion to support people around the world by harnessing the power of comedy. It now stands out as a calendar moment in British culture.
In politics, comedy is used in a mostly satirical way to engage public opinion, proving its power. Spitting Image and The Thick Of It crystallized the essence of contemporary politics in people’s minds.
Jo Brand’s involvement in the climate comedy project means a significant increase in the number of stars who are sounding the alarm about the deepening environmental crisis. Others include Kevin McCloud, Mary Portas, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Chris Packham who have appeared on Channel 4 programs climate emergency season last year. Even William Shatneroriginal Captain James T. Kirk added his voice, saying that we must act now to save our planet.
This trend signals a growing urgency and recognition of the climate crisis across sectors of society. A mix of humor and science demystifies complex environmental issues, making them more accessible to everyday audiences. Highlights the power of comedy to create change and raise awareness, presenting an effective strategy for tackling one of today’s most important challenges and an alternative to the direct action activism of Just Stop Oil and other groups.
The irony, as Jo Brand would say, is that we have all the solutions at our fingertips. Renewable energy is cheaper, safer, cleaner and safer than fossil fuels. However, on a global scale, according to the International Monetary Fund, we have subsidized the use of fossil fuels by approx $7 trillion (£5.5 trillion) in 2023 – USD 2 trillion more than in the previous year. As Brand said, “even the dinosaurs didn’t finance their own extinction.”
That’s why comedy videos encourage everyone to step up and put pressure on governments to make urgent changes, ending with a call to ban new investment in fossil fuels and the rallying cry: “All hands on deck.”
Even the COP28 climate summit, held in the major petrostate of the United Arab Emirates, called for a transition away from fossil fuels. But we’re not moving fast enough. And why should billions of people suffer just because a few people and countries want to make huge profits by selling us polluting fossil fuels? It’s just not funny.
