Good Morning Britain star Laura Tobin has defended her latest trip for the show after being branded a 'hypocrite' by outraged viewers. The weather presenter has been back on the ITV news programme this week but instead of being in the studio, Laura has been in Egypt where COP27 is being held.
COP27 is the 27th annual UN meeting on climate and has been taking place in Sharm el-Sheikh. It sees the parties that signed up to the original UN climate agreement in 1992 come together to take action towards achieving the world's collective climate goals.
Throughout this week, Laura has been joining GMB hosts including Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, and on Thursday Ben Shephard and Ranvir Singh, live from the conference via video link.
During her latest appearance on screen, the meteorologist met with a young activist from Kenya to hear about the effect climate change has had on her country. But she also used the interview to also address why she had flown out to Egypt to do the interview face-to-face after facing backlash from viewers.
Laura said during one of her latest segments: "I just want to say Elizabeth flew here, as have the majority of people here, journalists like myself, to be able to tell her story, stories that wouldn’t normally be told. It’s so important for all of us to hear what’s happening where she is and why it’s so important to all of us."
She added: "The impact on the environment is far outweighed by the flights which, by the way, are flights in economy and we offset our flights. But we are able to come to the meetings and to the discussions to tell the stories and it’s hoped that these stories will help to shape the final text here at COP to make sure we can limit our warming."
Despite Laura’s explanation, GMB viewers still continued to take to Twitter to voice their disapproval. @CorriganMJ tweeted: "Laura Tobin has just explained why she has flown to Egypt to tell us all about how flying is causing climate change. Thanks, Laura. #GMB." @loudandyrant said: "Did you have to fly to Egypt to present the weather and give us a lecture... or could you have stayed at home and cut your own carbon footprint."
@HintonShaggy wrote: "But you had to tell us this from Egypt, the hypocrisy is mind-blowing." @Fibutton fumed: "So they've flown Laura on a [plane] to Egypt, just to lecture us on climate change, and tell us what the weather is doing here in the UK????? You really couldn't make it up!! #gmb." @eshmackem added: "Preaching about climate change whilst flying to Egypt Laura ? #hypocrite #gmb."
Last year, Laura made a trip to Svalbard, located between mainland Norway and the North Pole, for Good Morning Britain. She sobbed as during her final report from the location on the show as she discussed why she made the trip in the first place.
Speaking through tears, Laura said; "I came here... I've been away from Charlotte [her daughter] for six days and my producer Ruth hasn't seen her daughter - she's never had a night away from her - and I wanted to come and tell the story of the people here. It's not a story, it's a reality."
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