Who else remembers the COVID briefings on TV given by governments around Europe at the height of the crisis? In the UK, the Prime Minister and top scientists stood behind lecterns, earnestly briefing the nation about the number of deaths, how quickly COVID was spreading and how we should be behaving to protect ourselves.
It was during one of those broadcasts that science communicator Simon Oldridge had an idea: what if there were briefings on national TV about the climate crisis? Experts “getting the facts back on the table” about how climate change is progressing, how it is affecting everything from food supplies to healthcare, and how the population needs to respond. So the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) was born.
They ended up with almost 1,300 people seated in Westminster Central Hall, a historic venue opposite the Houses of Parliament – the UK’s seat of power. The experts had 10 minutes each to address the crowd from the lectern, showing slides and talking through the facts one by one. It was crucial that everyone in the room was hearing directly from these experts, “without the filter of the media”, Nick says.
Despite the high profiles and busy lives of the audience, the room was silent as the experts gave their presentations.
“Something happened in that room. Even hardened NGO [non-governmental organisations] people came out and said ‘I was profoundly moved’. Lots of people cried. There was a profound feeling of that pain being inspired and uplifted, as if a secret had finally been shared. As if they’re finally watching something get witnessed by everybody together. There was a huge, palpable sense of relief in that room.”
The scientists’ presentations were filmed and shown to a cross section of the population and a few celebrities, like Jennifer Saunders. Their reactions were also filmed – another idea from the former advertising executives to make the film more engaging. By the end, they had a 50-minute film called the People’s Emergency Briefing. Now, the NEB team wants everyone over 16 from every part of society to see it.
Read more: Euronews on MSN
