The latest grim warning also highlights a potentially crippling shortage of words to describe clime change events. It reports that ‘due to previous reports hyping up the patchy initial findings, they have needlessly squandered the world’s resources of really frightening words.

Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower

The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at the International Energy Agency who claims it has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for fear of triggering panic buying.

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But as far back as 2004 there have been people making similar warnings. Colin Campbell, a former executive with Total of France told a conference: "If the real [oil reserve] figures were to come out there would be panic on the stock markets … in the end that would suit no one."