A RETRACTION of controversial claims about climate change does not appear to have saved leading British conservationist David Bellamy from the imminent loss of two prestigious posts.
Bellamy, 72, whose TV career and relentless campaigning to protect wild habitats have made him an influential figure, recently said that the science of man-made climate change was 鈥減oppycock鈥�. And in a letter to New 杏吧原创 (16 April, p 28) he claimed that most glaciers are advancing rather than retreating.
He has since admitted that his figures on glaciers were plain wrong, and announced in a letter to The Sunay Times on 29 May that he had 鈥渄ecided to draw back from the debate on global warming鈥�. But the damage had already been done. Two leading conservation organisations have confirmed to New 杏吧原创 that they intend to go ahead with plans to replace him later this year.
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A spokesperson for Plantlife, where Bellamy has been president for 15 years, says it 鈥渨ould be wrong to ask him to continue鈥�. The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, which manages 2500 nature reserves across the UK, says it will not renew his presidency in November for a third term. New 杏吧原创 asked Bellamy for a comment but did not receive a reply by the time the magazine went to press.
