BBC boss Tim Davie says climate change is no longer a 'politically controversial issue'
The director-general of the has said is no longer a 'politically controversial' issue. made the comment while speaking as part of a panel that coincided with . He said: 'The overwhelming consensus is that we, as humanity, are causing global warming. There are voices on the fringes but, in my view, when it comes to due impartiality for the BBC, we are now at a point where we have consensus around that. 'But then you do get into political debate around policy, speed of change, the social consequences - there is tough stuff to debate and we will do that as the BBC.' It follows 12 of the UK's major media brands agreed to increase the amount and improve the quality of their climate change storytelling across drama, comedy and daytime programming. And Davie added that the pledge to increase climate change coverage does not impact on the BBC's impartiality. His comments came as media chiefs also warned broadcasters face becoming irrelevant to audiences if they fail to act on climate change. Senior figures from the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky and STV urged their competitors to create more content reflecting the realities of climate change during a panel coinciding with Cop26. Simon Pitts, chief executive of STV, said there is a 'commercial imperative' for broadcasters to make changes now. He told the panel: 'In a couple of generations, when they look back not just on Covid but what we are doing now, we are not going to be judged on whether we managed to hit our quarterly targets and profit numbers - it is if we stepped up and did the right thing. 'This isn't pure altruism, it is a commercial imperative for us. If we don't do all the things we are discussing, we won't be relevant to our audiences and, crucially, to our people.' Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon said there is a 'collective responsibility on us as CEOs because we are in a position of power, because we have the ability to put things in the media that influence consumer behaviour'. She added: 'You hear that in different ways from all of us. We have to look at the facts and what our responsibilities are as running businesses. 'But we are running particular businesses - so now we have cleaned up our own organisations over 10 years, as you have heard, the question is now "What can we do to influence the behaviour of the population?" Because we have the ability to do that. 'We have to do it in the right way, in a way that is not lecturing or hectoring, but we can do that in a way that makes massive, massive impact on the UK.' Dame Carolyn McCall, chief executive of ITV, said UK broadcasters can also influence their foreign commercial partners through their programmes. 'We are talking very much about the UK here, and that is right. But there is a point here that is all of our content travels and so we can have a influence worldwide,' she said. The signatories to the pledge - who also include Britbox, Discovery and RTE - represent more than 70% of the time UK audiences spend watching TV and film. The pledge was brought together by Albert, the screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability, and is being launched to coincide with the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow. However, the companies have not set measurable targets and will announce their own commitments in the coming year. said the UK has a responsibility to lead the way' in going green by making the City tackle climate change today. The Chancellor kicked off the financial day of Cop 26 by unveiling plans to force hundreds of Britain's biggest firms to tackle . The move will impose requirements on all UK-listed companies to set out maps to 'transition' to net zero in the coming decades, with firms assessed annually. Mr Sunak sported a special green ministerial box as he appeared in after arriving with former boss Mark Carney. The Chancellor promised to turn the UK into what he said will be the world's first net-zero aligned financial centre. He said listed companies in the UK will need to publish a transition plan that sets out their path to green their businesses. Those that fail to make enough progress, or whose plans are deemed too weak, could face sanctions including fines or even removal from the stock exchange. But business leaders said they need more support and funding to meet the targets - while there are fears the red tape could drive large them to base their HQs abroad. The Chancellor said governments of developed nations are going to meet their six-year-old promise to send 100 billion US dollars (73 billion) to developing countries in 2023, three years behind target. 'While we know we are not yet meeting it soon enough, we will work closely with developing countries to do more and to reach the target soon,' he told the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow. But he added: 'Public investment alone isn't enough, so our second action is to mobilise private finance.' The Chancellor announced that financial institutions controlling 40 per cent of global assets would align themselves to the Paris Agreement's 1.5C limit for global warming. In total, 450 institutions have signed up to the so-called Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (Gfanz), an organisation led by Mr Carney. 'The 130 trillion dollars that the Chancellor announced is more than is needed for the net-zero transition globally,' Mr Carney said today.He added: 'What you're hearing today is that the money is here, but that money needs net-zero aligned projects.' Mr Sunak said: 'Six years ago Paris set the ambition. Today in Glasgow we're providing the investment we need to deliver that ambition.' He was speaking ahead of Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, who said climate change was a huge opportunity for businesses. Finance ministers are meeting in Glasgow following the meetings between world leaders on Monday. Mr Sunak also promised to turn the UK into what he said would be the world's first net-zero aligned financial centre. He said listed companies in the UK would need to publish a transition plan that sets out their path to green their businesses. Critics of Mr Sunak's plans fear they could lead to firms quitting the City of London to avoid the red tape. Ninety One Plc, a global investment manager based in London and Cape Town, warned a slow transition to tackle climate change was needed. CEO Hendrik du Toit told : 'If we stop all financing of what I would call dirty assets, then other forms of finance will come in, own them and not transition at all. That is the real risk.' Gunther Thallinger, the chair of the Net Zero Asset Owners Alliance, said: 'The transformation way from fossil energy is driven by [these] science-based pathways. 'Such an approach allows for not only a viable, but also a just transition. A simple 'no investment in fossil energy - especially oil and gas' would create social and economic inequities, and thus would ultimately slow down the crucial transition into renewable energy.' He added: 'Alliance members are already changing their investment decision-making, enabling them to work effectively with others on the transformation at the beginning of this decisive decade. 'With science-based short-term targets for portfolio emission reductions; sector emission intensity reductions; company engagement; and financing the transition, plus neutral target-monitoring established in the form of a UN-led secretariat, we have made robust first steps.' The Confederation of British Industry gave the idea a cautious welcome last night, saying business was already 'upping its game'. But the trade body warned it was vital ministers work with colleagues abroad to produce 'globally consistent' rules to prevent British-based firms being penalised. Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief economist, said the moves were 'steps in the right direction' but that it was critical they did not apply only in the UK. 'These need to be followed up with further action from policy makers to develop globally consistent climate and sustainability disclosure standards,' she said. City veteran Alasdair Haynes, chief executive of stock exchange Aquis, said it was 'good that climate disclosures are put into companies' reports and accounts'. But he warned: 'You have to have proportionality. A lot of fast-growing companies are facing high costs to complete their reporting, especially when you look at the detail of what's needed.'