West London council falls behind on four of five net zero targets, report finds

The Evening Standard reports, from council documents, that Hounslow Council is behind on most of its 2030 net zero measures, and gives the figures, the council's own explanations and its plans. It closes on one opposition councillor reposting tweets that called the climate emergency a hoax and another calling climate change a natural process. It never says in its own voice that human activity is driving the warming.

1. Gives a contested claim the last word

   Minor

   “Tory Darshan Nagi described climate change as a “natural process””

   Why this matters

   The Standard ends the article on a councillor's description of climate change as a "natural process". It follows a reposted claim that the "climate emergency is a big hoax". No line answers either claim.

   The impression it gives

   A reader is left with the last word going to the idea that the warming is natural, and may take it as an open question.

   The context

   It is unequivocal that human influence, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels, has warmed the planet. The article frames the two remarks as scepticism and cites the UN's 1.5C warning earlier. It never states the human cause, so the denial closes the piece without an answer.

   How we know

   • On the recordIt is unequivocal that human influence, chiefly the burning of fossil fuels, has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.ipcc.ch (opens in a new tab)
   • Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “human”.