Climate Myths
Global Warming Is Caused by Solar Activity
Solar activity is shown in a 2003 NASA image. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: The Sun's energy output changes at regular intervals. This energy output is currently increasing thereby causing global warming.
Riposte: Most of the current global warming has happened since the late 1970s. Solar activity has decreased over this period. Global warming has occurred despite the sun getting a little fainter.
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Global Warming Is Caused by Solar Activity
Solar activity is shown in a 2003 NASA image. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: The Sun's energy output changes at regular intervals. This energy output is currently increasing thereby causing global warming.
Riposte: Most of the current global warming has happened since the late 1970s. Solar activity has decreased over this period. Global warming has occurred despite the sun getting a little fainter.
Climate Myths
Water Vapor, Not CO2, Causes Global Warming
Steam rises from the Rio Blanco river after Chile's Chaiten volcano erupted. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: Water vapor is responsible for most of the greenhouse effect. A little increase in CO2 won't make a difference.
Riposte: Water vapor is responsible for most of the natural greenhouse effect. But water vapor does not change the natural balance, it reacts to it. If more water vapor comes into the system, it will simply rain for longer before global warming happens. When more human CO2 emissions lead to global warming, however, the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere will increase because warmer air can hold more moisture.
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Water Vapor, Not CO2, Causes Global Warming
Steam rises from the Rio Blanco river after Chile's Chaiten volcano erupted. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: Water vapor is responsible for most of the greenhouse effect. A little increase in CO2 won't make a difference.
Riposte: Water vapor is responsible for most of the natural greenhouse effect. But water vapor does not change the natural balance, it reacts to it. If more water vapor comes into the system, it will simply rain for longer before global warming happens. When more human CO2 emissions lead to global warming, however, the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere will increase because warmer air can hold more moisture.
Climate Myths
Most CO2 Comes from Volcanoes
A volcano erupting under the Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland, belching smoke and ash miles high. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: Volcanic eruptions caused extremely high atmospheric levels of CO2 millions of years ago. Even today, one eruption emits more CO2 than man-made sources of CO2.
Riposte: Volcanoes do emit CO2, but if their emissions did have a drastic influence then atmospheric CO2 levels would have increased in fits and starts. Scientific observations show, however, a steady increase in CO2.
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Most CO2 Comes from Volcanoes
A volcano erupting under the Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland, belching smoke and ash miles high. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: Volcanic eruptions caused extremely high atmospheric levels of CO2 millions of years ago. Even today, one eruption emits more CO2 than man-made sources of CO2.
Riposte: Volcanoes do emit CO2, but if their emissions did have a drastic influence then atmospheric CO2 levels would have increased in fits and starts. Scientific observations show, however, a steady increase in CO2.
Climate Myths
Warming Comes from the Earth's Core
The graphic shows the Earth's interior structure. Temperatures in the Earth's core can reach several thousand degrees Celsius. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Sceptics: The Earth's hot inner core has a stronger influence on global temperatures than a few parts per million of CO2.
Riposte: If the Earth's core did have an important influence on surface temperatures, then temperature differences between night and day or winter and summer would be smaller, and the South Pole would not be covered by thousands of meters of ice.
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Warming Comes from the Earth's Core
The graphic shows the Earth's interior structure. Temperatures in the Earth's core can reach several thousand degrees Celsius. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Sceptics: The Earth's hot inner core has a stronger influence on global temperatures than a few parts per million of CO2.
Riposte: If the Earth's core did have an important influence on surface temperatures, then temperature differences between night and day or winter and summer would be smaller, and the South Pole would not be covered by thousands of meters of ice.
Climate Myths
Greenland Has Been Green
Houses painted in bright colors in the town of Ilulissat in western Greenland. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: When the Vikings settled in Greenland it was a lush and more hospitable place, hence the name Greenland. Current warming is therefore nothing special and cannot be caused by mankind's greenhouse gas emissions.
Riposte: Test samples from Greenland's ice cap show that it is hundreds of thousands of years old. Most of the land not covered by ice is in the dry north and probably wasn't green even hundreds of years ago. Some authors speculate that the name 'Greenland' was coined to attract potential settlers.
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Greenland Has Been Green
Houses painted in bright colors in the town of Ilulissat in western Greenland. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: When the Vikings settled in Greenland it was a lush and more hospitable place, hence the name Greenland. Current warming is therefore nothing special and cannot be caused by mankind's greenhouse gas emissions.
Riposte: Test samples from Greenland's ice cap show that it is hundreds of thousands of years old. Most of the land not covered by ice is in the dry north and probably wasn't green even hundreds of years ago. Some authors speculate that the name 'Greenland' was coined to attract potential settlers.
Climate Myths
Antarctic Ice Sheet Is Growing
A foraging Emperor penguin on snow-covered sea ice around the base of Mount Erebus, in Antarctica. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: The Antarctic is cooling not warming and its ice sheet is steadily growing.
Riposte: Radar measurements suggest that parts of the huge East Antarctic ice sheet have grown slightly. Even a few degrees of warming won't melt the highest and coldest part of the Antarctic. Even more ice, however, is being lost on the lower and warmer West Antarctic ice sheet.
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Antarctic Ice Sheet Is Growing
A foraging Emperor penguin on snow-covered sea ice around the base of Mount Erebus, in Antarctica. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: The Antarctic is cooling not warming and its ice sheet is steadily growing.
Riposte: Radar measurements suggest that parts of the huge East Antarctic ice sheet have grown slightly. Even a few degrees of warming won't melt the highest and coldest part of the Antarctic. Even more ice, however, is being lost on the lower and warmer West Antarctic ice sheet.
Climate Myths
The Global Warming Conspiracy
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore speaks with Bono during the Clinton Global Initiative in 2008. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: Global Warming was invented by Al Gore. His movie An Inconvenient Truth was a skillful effort to improve his public standing and business interests. Climate scientists promote his scheme to secure more funding.
Riposte: Al Gore's film contains a few arguments that have been refuted, but is in general correct. The current scientific consensus is based upon decades of research. A conspiracy including tens of thousands of scientists worldwide is highly improbable.
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The Global Warming Conspiracy
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore speaks with Bono during the Clinton Global Initiative in 2008. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: Global Warming was invented by Al Gore. His movie An Inconvenient Truth was a skillful effort to improve his public standing and business interests. Climate scientists promote his scheme to secure more funding.
Riposte: Al Gore's film contains a few arguments that have been refuted, but is in general correct. The current scientific consensus is based upon decades of research. A conspiracy including tens of thousands of scientists worldwide is highly improbable.
Climate Myths
Global Warming Isn't That Bad
A Pakistani farmer harvests wheat in Thungle valley, Pakistan before winter snows. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: A few degrees of warming will improve crop yields in many parts of the world. New land will become available for farming. Higher CO2 levels will improve growth.
Riposte: In northern Europe, Russia and Canada, moderate warming could benefit agriculture. If temperatures rise beyond 2 degrees Celsius these gains could be lost to droughts and disease. However, many African, Asian and Latin American countries will suffer even with small temperature increases. Up to one million square kilometers of African farmland could be lost by 2050.
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Global Warming Isn't That Bad
A Pakistani farmer harvests wheat in Thungle valley, Pakistan before winter snows. (Photo: Reuters)
Sceptics: A few degrees of warming will improve crop yields in many parts of the world. New land will become available for farming. Higher CO2 levels will improve growth.
Riposte: In northern Europe, Russia and Canada, moderate warming could benefit agriculture. If temperatures rise beyond 2 degrees Celsius these gains could be lost to droughts and disease. However, many African, Asian and Latin American countries will suffer even with small temperature increases. Up to one million square kilometers of African farmland could be lost by 2050.
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