Global warming myths

There are many myths circulating about global warming. Here are the facts.

By

Laura Moss

Thu, May 06 2010 at 9:11 AM

Related Topics:

Fossil Fuels, Global Warming, Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases

Photo: Nicholas Belton/iStockphoto

Myth #1: The science of global warming is uncertain, and not all scientists believe in it.

Fact: There is no debate among scientists about the basic facts of global warming.

While not all scientists may agree that humans are causing global warming, according to the Environmental Defense Fund, “the most respected scientific bodies have stated unequivocally that global warming is occurring, and people are causing it by burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests.”

In 2005, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences issued a joint statement with 10 other National Academies of Science saying, "the scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emission.”

Myth #2: Global warming will be beneficial. Higher levels of carbon dioxide will increase crop growth and reduce cold-related deaths.

Fact: Global warming has serious consequences that will far outweight any benefits.

Although carbon dioxide can stimulate plant growth in certain circumstances, scientists say this “CO2 fertilization effect,” will diminish as plants adapt to changes in the environment. Plus, extra carbon dioxide may benefit undesirable plant species, such as weeds, more than crops.

Also, increasing carbon dioxide levels cause ocean acidification, which can have adverse impacts on marine organisms. In fact, the oceans have already absorbed about 50 percent of the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels.

While warmer weather may sound good for people and animals, a warming climate can actually have devastating effects. Melting glaciers and rising seas would flood coastal towns and contaminate water supplies. Plus, global warming contributes to extreme weather events like droughts, floods and heat waves, which could be deadly.

Myth #3: Recent cold winters and snowstorms indicate that global warming isn't occurring.

Fact: Different parts of the world may experience snow or cold weather, but the global trend is warmer winters.

A year of cold weather in one region isn’t evidence of a trend in the global climate. Measurements reveal that the Earth’s climate has warmed overall, in most regions, during the last century, according to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Myth #4: People aren't causing global warming — it's part of a natural cycle.

Fact: The global warming the Earth is experiencing isn't natural.

Scientists have proved that deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels are releasing more carbon dioxide into the air, which is the main cause of global warming. Since 1985, scientists have known that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap heat, and scientific study has already ruled out natural explanations like volcanic eruptions and sunlight.

Although carbon dioxide is naturally found on Earth, these ordinary amounts typically vary from 180 to 300 parts per million, but today’s levels are around 380 ppm, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. That's 25 percent more than the highest natural levels of carbon dioxide over the past 650,000 years.

MNN homepage photo: Gewitterkind/iStockphoto

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Comments: 10

jahangirplm Apr 23 2012 at 5:07 PM

Thank you for the autopsy of another Fox Bogus Reporting event
- If its remotely political, they willfully and knowingly distort the
issues to suit themselves and their clients - They are an unreliable and
inaccurate source of information for any important issue.
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global warming myth
global warming hoax
greenhouse effect
greenhouse gases

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Wilco Oct 15 2011 at 2:40 PM

The sea has been rising only about 1.6mm per year. Nothing unusual here. Total atmosphere CO2 has been about constant for the last 200 years (Recent examination of the CO2 studies uncertainties by a German scientist reveal this is most likely true). Warmer global temperatures do not support global warming, rather warming oceans do. The warming data being used in support of global warming has been falsified. The IPPC projections have been shown to be in error. The atmospheric greenhouse effect

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and that of CO2 is exaggerated - as indicated in the temp data recently released under court order in England. i.e. thermal radiation back into space increased ahead of the (troposphere) air temps. No greenhouse effect here. I won't stop any scientist who believes in global warming from paying the global warming tax.

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steve Oct 20 2010 at 12:55 PM

The seriousness of the destruction that would be caused by prolonged global warming needs to be fully researched by the Senate and Congress. I propose that all Senators and Congressional members take an environmental science test (after all they are supposedly well educated and intelligent). The test will involve understanding the difference between causation and correlation in environmental science and will include graph reading and basic correlative statistical analysis (statistics 101). The test

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will include all the widely circulated Solar Radiation and C02 level data. If the Senators or Congress members cannot get 90% or better they cannot vote. Folks this is not that tough if you know a bit of statistics. The best right wing scientists (that support Solar Radiation as the cause ...) clearly cannot read a graph and do not understand correlative analysis. And I personally do not represent the left. I am a big fan of the right wing stand on personal responsibility as opposed to government handouts and I do not like abortion one bit. I also believe that both the Clinton Administration and the Bush administration are responsible for the greedy deregulation based economic crisis / recession we are currently suffering from. But when it comes to the environment the right is clearly spewing self serving propaganda centered BS.

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Nemo Jun 29 2010 at 8:40 AM

"""
Although carbon dioxide can stimulate plant growth in certain circumstances, scientists say this “CO2 fertilization effect,” will diminish as plants adapt to changes in the environment.
"""

Hmmm... Plants will adapt to having more food, and will not grow as big. Let's look for something to compare that one to... Oh, maybe people? People sure have adapted to having a constant supply of food, and have stopped growing.

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Trumpy Oct 26 2012 at 6:02 PM

Two beers make me happy, so 30 beers will make me feel even better.

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Guest May 17 2010 at 1:22 PM

But the fact is the evidence is clearer than ever. In response to the first comment, you want the evidence? Go to the IPCC's website. It's there for everyone to see. ipcc.ch (the CH is for Switzerland, where IPCC is based, not for some grand global warming conspiracy). In regards to the third comment that there is "NO warming since 1998," you and Glenn Beck can claim this all day everyday; it doesn't make it true. Choosing 1998 as the starting point for measurements constitutes intentionally

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manipulating the data. 1998 was an abnormally warm year for one reason - an extremely active El Nino cycle. This raised temperatures to record levels, but was a one year phenomenon. Climate is a general trend that takes place over decades; weather is what you experience on a day-to-day basis. One only chooses 1998 as the baseline in order to argue that temperatures have not been that high since. The fact is that, even taking 1998 into account, the general trend (based on you know, statistical analysis like a regression line - but I won't get too far into this in case your brain starts to hurt), the trend has been going up since the 1970s. The 2000s was the warmest decade on record, taking into account the average temperature across the entire globe, not just what you feel outside your house. The 1990s was the second warmest decade on record. That demonstrates a warming trend. And to debunk the next myth before one of you deniers tosses it out - the reason temperatures dipped briefly during the 1960s has nothing to do with AGW as a phenomenon. It has to deal with extremely high levels of aerosols in the atmosphere, which reflects solar energy back into the atmosphere, thus causing lower temperatures. These aerosols - primarily CFCs (or chlorofluorocarbons) - also put a massive hole in the ozone layer and were finally regulated by the 1987 Montreal Protocol. But once the level of aerosols was reduced in the atmosphere, this so-called "global dimming" effect was mitigated, thus doing away with this masking of AGW. Look at the real data over time and stop spewing the same tired old lies and misconceptions. We're on to your game and have been for a while. I can pick apart your comments all day if necessary.

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Robin May 17 2010 at 12:01 PM

I always wonder who's paying the people who emphatically deny that global warming exists . . . Who do you work for? When the planet's top scientists at every top school, organization and yes even government are saying we have a problem . . . you still deny it? If you need to see it to believe it . . . it's called SMOG . . . that alone is enough to stop polluting our atmosphere never mind that we’re changing our climate with disastrous effects. What major oil/energy companies are paying commenters

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like you to promote doubt and naysay? Do you seriously not care enough about our future generations . . . i.e. our kids and grandkids to hog all the natural resources left in this world for yourselves? Causing pollution that will damage our kid’s health and that they'll have to clean up after us . . . which at the rate we're dumping all sorts of crap into our air, water and land, they'll never truly be able to clean up.

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Stu May 11 2010 at 4:01 PM

Its time to look at ALL the data to see if the earth is warming and see if man is responsible. The climate data and its analysis should be available to ANYONE. Not hidden by the climate scientists. Science should be the search for truth and open to all people for verification.

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anon May 09 2010 at 2:44 PM

Whether humans cause global warming IS THE ENTIRE POINT.

If some scientists disagree with this then no, the debate is not over.

It's time to put down the Plato, your Noble Lie has been busted. Its over. Pray you don't get sued for the economic damage.

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Aaron May 06 2010 at 6:58 PM

Gotta love that "argument via authority" b.s. in that first one here. It should also be noted that if you remove the bogus data from NASA and Hadley, you get NO warming since 1998. If you use NASA's data and remove the UHI "homogenization" (that always magically causes temps to go UP), you get... NO warming since 1998.

Wake up, your little AGW scam is over.