Professors Paul Hardaker and Chris Collier, both Royal Meteorological Society figures, told a conference in Oxford some researchers make claims about possible future impacts that cannot be justified by the science.

Collier, former president of the society, is concerned the serious message about the risks posed by global warming could be undermined by making premature claims. This view is shared by Hardaker, the society’s chief executive.

“We have to stick to what the science is telling us,” Hardaker said. “I don’t think making that sound more sensational, or more sexy, because it gets us more newspaper columns, is the right thing for us to be doing.

“We have to let the science argument win out.”