The writer and the academic discuss the themes of the new BBC thriller based on the true story of world-renowned Professor Philip Jones, Director of Climate Research at the University of East Anglia, who in 2009 became the victim of cyber-terrorism. With time running out against an unseen enemy, The Trick looks at the potentially devastating consequences to humanity from climate change denial; how a media storm undermined public confidence in the science and how the concept of ‘truth’ took a back seat, causing us to lose a decade of action.
At the time of “ClimateGate”, Trevor Davies was UEA Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and former Director of the Climatic Research Unit 1993-1998.
The film is directed by Pip Broughton and written by Welsh novelist, poet and playwright Owen Sheers, who is Professor in Creativity at Swansea University. They talk to investigative journalist Nicola Cutcher.