Activist Guest Blasts Sky News For ‘Platforming’ Climate Denying GB News Contributor
Climate activist Zoe Cohen ripped climate skeptic James Woudhuysen’s credentials on Sky News Tuesday, blasting the network for “platforming” someone who writes for outlets like GB News.
After Woudhuysen questioned the statistics around climate change projections, Cohen laid into host Kay Burley and the show’s executives for his appearance on the show listing his affiliations with right-leaning opinion-led networks and websites.
“I can’t believe you are platforming this gentleman,” she said. “He makes his living from working for TalkTV, GB News and writing for a publication called Spiked.”
Cohen, who is the founder of Climate Coaching and spokesperson for Just Stop Oil, was one of six Extinction Rebellion activists convicted for vandalism to Barclays London headquarters in protest in 2023. Her anger elicited laughter from Woudhuysen, who works as a writer and Professor of Forecasting and Innovation at De Montfort University in Leicester.
“I’ve retired actually,” Woudhuysen retorted in response to the charges.
“I’ve done my research James and you write for Spiked, you perform on GB News, all of these channels are funded by oil interests, bought by the likes of the Koch brothers,” she said. “They’re oil barons, oil billionaires. I’m sure you’re a nice guy…”
“No need to patronise me,” he said.
Cohen continued: “I’m sure you have grandchildren, I know you’ll care about them and their future.”
“You’ve investigated my family? I see,” Woudhuysen replied. “And that’s relevant is it?”
“I see on social media that you have family,” Cohen continued. “We all care about our families, don’t we? But what I see here is Sky, who claims to actually be one of the leaders in talking about the climate reality is actually platforming someone who makes their living out of writing for these platforms that are fundamentally funded by climate denial and oil interests.”
“Spiked doesn’t pay, so I’m not funded by them,” Woudhuysen said.
Cohen continued to say that climate denialism was “genocide by oblique intent” and that “they know what they’re doing.”
