You’d imagine that the findings of a research study by the Met Office Hadley Centre showing that Britain could experience temperature increases three times the global average – even if greenhouse gases are brought under control – would make front page news.

A six degree temperature increase would result in a global disaster: famous cities will be submerged, a third of the world would become desert and the rest will be left struggling for food and fresh water.

Yet the survey barely made the news. The Evening Standard had Gemma Arteton opening a shoe department at Selfridges on the front cover, David Beckham on page three, a disparaging review of the Thanet wind farm on page eight and tucked away on page 26, the Met survey.

Climate change news is now so far down the radar that you’d think the problem had been solved while we slept. Instead we ignore the scientific community while we sleep-walk our way to catastrophe.