10 Most Common Misconceptions About Global Warming
– Al Gore (Climate Crisis, Melcher Media, 2006)
“Scientists disagree about whether humans are causing the Earth’s climate to change.”
In fact, there is strong scientific consensus that human activities are changing the Earth’s climate. Scientists overwhelmingly agree that the Earth is getting warmer, that this trend is caused by people, and that if we continue to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the warming will be increasingly harmful.
“Lots of things can impact climate – so there’s no reason we should single out CO2 to worry about.”
Climate is sensitive to many things besides carbon dioxide – sunspots, as well as well as water vapor. But this proves how much we should worry about CO2 and other human-influenced greenhouse gasses. The fact that the climate system has been shown to be sensitive to many sorts of natural changes throughout history should serve as a red flag: We need to pay close attention to the massive and unprecedented changes we’re causing. We have become more powerful than any force of nature.
“Climate naturally varies over time, so any change we’re seeing now is just part of a natural cycle.”
Climate does naturally change. By studying tree rings, lake sediments, ice cores, and other natural features that provide a record of past climates, scientists know that changes in climate, including abrupt changes have occurred throughout history. But these changes all took place with natural variations in carbon dioxide levels that were smaller that the ones we are now causing. Cores taken from deep in the ice of Antarctica show that carbon dioxide levels are higher now than they have been at any time in the last 650,000 years, which means we are outside the realm of natural climate variation. More CO2 in the atmosphere means warming temperatures.
“The hole in the ozone layer causes global warming.”
There is a relationship between climate change and the ozone hole, but this isn’t it. The hole in the ozone layer – a part of the upper atmosphere that contains high concentrations of ozone gas and shields the planet from the sun’s radiation – is due to man-made chemicals called CFCs, which were banned by an international agreement. The only connection between the ozone layer and climate change is almost the exact opposite of the myth stated above. Global Warming – while not responsible for the ozone hole – could actually slow the natural repairing of the ozone layer. Global warming heats the lower atmosphere but actually cools the stratosphere which can worsen stratospheric ozone loss.
“There is nothing we can do about climate change. It’s already too late.” This is the worst misconception of all. There are lots of things we can do – but we need to start now. We can’t ignore the causes and impacts of climate change any longer. We need to reduce our use of fossil fuels, through a combination of government initiatives, industry innovation, and individual action. Dozens of things you can do are outlined here.
“Antarctica’s ice sheets are growing, so it must not be true that global warming is causing glaciers and sea ice to melt.”
Even if some of the ice is getting bigger, not shrinking, this does not change the fact that global warming is causing glaciers and sea ice to melt around the world. Globally, more that 85% of glaciers are shrinking.
“Global warming is a good thing, because it will rid us of frigid winters and make plants grow more quickly.”
This myth just doesn’t’t seem to die. Because local impacts will vary, it’s true that some specific places may experience more pleasant winter weather. But the negative impact of climate change vastly outweighs any local benefits.
“The warming scientists are recording is just the effect of cities trapping heat, rather than anything to do with greenhouse gasses.”
People who want to deny global warming because it’s easier that dealing with it try to argue that what scientists are really observing is just the urban heat island effect, meaning that cities tend to trap heat because of all the buildings and asphalt. This is simply wrong.
“Global warming is the result of a meteor that crashed in Siberia in the early 20th century.”
This may sound absurd to some of us, but it’s a real hypothesis suggested by a Russian scientist. So what’s wrong with it? Basically, everything.
“Temperature in some areas aren’t increasing, so global warming is a myth.”
It is certainly true that the temperature is not rising at every point on the planet. Global warming refers to the rise in average temperature of the entire Earth’s surface due to increase in greenhouse gases. Because the climate is an incredibly complex system, the impacts of climate change will not be the same everywhere. Some areas of the globe – such as northern Europe – might actually become colder. But this is does not change the fact that overall, the surface temperature of the planet is rising, as are the temperatures of our oceans. The gains have been demonstrated.
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