Today, hundreds of MPs, Peers, and leaders from business, faith, sport, and culture gathered in Westminster for a National Emergency Briefing.

We were presented with the latest evidence showing that the United Kingdom must urgently prepare for a cascade of serious societal impacts. The rapidly escalating climate and nature crises are set to make the UK increasingly unrecognisable and dangerous, with extreme weather events, the risk of food shortages, price shocks, economic instability and rising geopolitical risks.

We are deeply alarmed by the scale of fossil fuel–funded disinformation that has flooded Westminster and the media. The lack of public access to accurate, science-based information has created a vacuum which has been filled by polarised headlines designed to deny and delay action.

Under the Communications Act 2003, all public service broadcasters must inform the public on major national and international issues. The UK has so far failed to meet these obligations. The Climate Change Committee has also urged the Government to provide trusted public information. 

We therefore ask the Government and all public service broadcasters to hold an urgent televised national emergency briefing for the public, and to run a comprehensive public engagement campaign so that everyone understands the profound risks this crisis poses to themselves and their families.

If delivered urgently and truthfully, with ambition matching the scale of the crisis, this will not only ensure that the public is properly informed but will also offer the protection that knowledge and preparedness bring. Such a campaign will resonate with the public, opening up the political space for the action needed.

We are not safe. This is an emergency. Now is the time for courage and to put trust in the public. The UK has a track record of uniting to face difficult challenges. Now is the time to do this again.