Church Leaders Challenge GB News Co-Owner on Climate Science and Investments
The co-owner of GB News and self-described “committed” Christian Sir Paul Marshall has faced criticism from a group of church leaders regarding the television channel’s approach to climate science and climate action.
Marshall, a hedge fund manager, was also confronted about his own statements, which the group described as “misleading.” This group, consisting of approximately 100 members including former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and two current bishops, expressed concerns over Marshall’s public comments on climate change.
Marshall has previously stated that the UK is suffering from “climate derangement syndrome” and claimed that efforts to reduce planet-heating emissions are “impoverishing people.” The Christian leaders also raised questions about the £1.8 billion of fossil fuel investments held in 2023 by the hedge fund managed by Marshall, requesting transparency regarding any personal conflicts of interest.
In response, Marshall said,
“The Gospel entreats us to look after the vulnerable”
but added that pursuing an “ideological” net zero policy represents “a path of unilateral economic disarmament and self-harm.” He further stated that the extent to which global heating is caused by human activity “is still subject to debate.”
However, the world’s climate scientists, in reports endorsed by 192 national governments, have been clear for over a decade that approximately 100% of recent global warming is caused by human emissions and activities.
Concerns Raised by Christian Leaders
The group of Christian leaders stated,
“British Christians have often led the way in calling for change and modelling a new way of living in spite of pushback from powerful interests,”
citing historical examples such as the campaign to end the slave trade.
They continued,
“We note with concern a number of your past statements, including your assertion that decarbonisation is ‘leading the way in wrecking our industrial base’, ‘impoverishing our people’ and ‘sacrificing our energy security’. We are concerned these statements are misleading. As many economists and experts have shown, decarbonisation is a net economic benefit, which will save trillions of dollars in the long-term, alongside improving our health and wellbeing, and contributing to the UK’s national security.”
The leaders also requested,
“If you have personal financial interests in fossil fuels, we ask, in the spirit of transparency, that you declare these interests before making public statements about the climate crisis.”
Marshall’s Position on Climate and Energy Policy
Marshall, who has described himself as a “committed Christian,” said,
“I share the concerns for stewardship of the planet, which is currently in a gradual warming cycle. This has to be balanced with a commitment to human flourishing.
For that reason I do not support the current policy of unilateral net zero, which the UK is pursuing out of step with the rest of the world. It is undermining the country’s long-term prosperity, imposing excess costs on businesses, discouraging new growth industries and having an outsized negative impact on the elderly and the poor.”
More than 130 countries, responsible for about 82% of global carbon emissions, have net zero policies, and 20 others are considering them. The UK’s net zero economy is forecast to grow significantly, according to the Confederation of British Industry.
Marshall, who is set to retire in 2025, added,
“I am an active investor in renewable technology, as is Marshall Wace, my hedge fund. However, I don’t believe in penalising oil and gas. The UK should have a strategy of energy abundance, combining renewables with a range of energy sources, including oil and gas.”
Research and Media Coverage
The Christian leaders cited research indicating that GB News broadcasted 1,000 climate sceptical segments in the period immediately before and after the 2024 general election.
Clare Fussell, from the Christian climate charity Operation Noah and a signatory of the letter, stated,
“With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the urgency of moving away from fossil fuels has never been clearer. We urge media outlets, including GB News, to uphold standards of fair and responsible reporting on climate issues, and to avoid misleading audiences.”
Marshall said he is not involved in the editorial decisions of GB News. The news channel has been the UK’s fastest growing news outlet since its launch in 2021, according to Press Gazette.
A spokesperson for GB News responded,
“It is an affront that Operation Noah lectures GB News on fair, responsible reporting and avoiding misleading audiences, while denying us the courtesy of a right or reply. GB News stands behind its journalism as an independent Ofcom-regulated broadcaster, compliant with the code. We champion open debate and engage diverse perspectives. This is a cornerstone of democracy, and the basis of our success as Britain’s number one news channel.”
Marshall’s Letter to Christian Leaders
Marshall wrote a letter to the Christian leaders, seen by , in which he stated,
“I agree that the planet is in a gradual warming cycle, although I believe the extent to which this is anthropogenic is still subject to debate.”
Global temperatures are rising about ten times faster than the average rate after previous ice ages.
Marshall expressed his differing view on policy, saying,
“If renewables are competitive, they should not need subsidy and oil and gas should not need penalisation.”
Fossil fuels benefited from $630 billion in subsidies in 2022 and $5.7 trillion in implicit subsidies, according to the International Monetary Fund. The International Energy Agency reported in 2023 that 96% of new large-scale solar and onshore wind farms had lower costs than new coal and gas plants.
Marshall added to the Christian leaders,
“The gospel entreats us to look after the vulnerable and I urge you to reflect on how high energy costs and restricting access to cheap oil and gas affects so many people.”
Rising global heating caused by fossil fuel burning has significant health impacts, according to a major report on the health effects of the climate crisis published in October in The Lancet.
