5 common myths about climate change or a topic where we are literally on thin ice
Myths about climate change can seriously affect public perception and hinder the political, social and individual action needed to address this crisis. So today's challenge is to dispel these rumours, because we need the most informed society possible if we are to confront the global change juggernaut in any sensible way.
So there is no need to wait, let us imagine those claims that have been circulating successfully among people but which, on closer examination, turn out to be misleading to say the least. Do you know some of them? You might be surprised at how simple it actually is.
Myth 1: Global warming has stopped/is not
One of the loudest claims, that climate change is not happening at all, or at least stopped long ago, is refuted by long-term data showing a steady rise in average global temperatures. For example, the World Meteorological Organisation and NASA report that the last few decades have been recorded as the warmest in modern measurement history. This trend confirms that global warming is continuing.
Scientific studies and analyses, such as those carried out by NASA or the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), show a continuous increase in average global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution. Natural climate change may lead to short-term fluctuations in temperature trends, but the long-term warming trend prevails. These studies show how greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity contribute to the accumulation of heat in the atmosphere, leading to a gradually warming planet.
If you're interested in a specific example, one of the key studies that document the long-term warming trend is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, specifically their "Fifth Assessment Report" (AR5) and then the "Sixth Assessment Report" (AR6), which provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of scientific knowledge on climate change.
Myth 2: Current climate change is a normal and natural process, we are dealing with it unnecessarily
Here it is quite simple.
Of course, climate change is a natural phenomenon; indeed, temperatures in different parts of the planet have changed regularly throughout our history. To put it quite simply, the alternation between ice ages and interglacials is there. Climate change in prehistory was caused by natural factors such as volcanic activity, changes in the Earth's orbit and solar radiation. These natural changes usually occurred slowly, over thousands to millions of years. By contrast, current climate change, accelerated since the Industrial Revolution, is the result of human activity, primarily greenhouse gas emissions, and is occurring much more rapidly, on the order of decades. This means that ecosystems and societies have less time to adapt.
The current rapid increase in temperatures and extreme weather events is therefore unprecedented and unique for scientists compared to the historical development of climate change. In fact, humans and their activities are a major contributor. In short, the scientific evidence, such as the IPCC study mentioned above, shows that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, deforestation and other activities are significantly influencing the warming of the planet and contributing to changes in the atmosphere, oceans and land that exceed the natural climate change observed in the past.
Myth 3: There is nothing wrong with CO2, plants need it!
Yes, CO2 (carbon dioxide) is one of the most important gases on Earth, especially for photosynthesis. But it works in roughly the same way as if you water your ordinary houseplant every day in good faith so that it doesn't get thirsty. It won't be too long before the plant starts refusing the water, and you'll have water pouring out of the pot onto the ground every time you water it. In fact, scientific studies show that elevated CO2 levels, along with other greenhouse gases, greatly amplify the so-called 'greenhouse effect', which traps heat in the atmosphere. This process is natural and desirable, and without its effects the planet would be much colder, but the amplification of the effect is leading to overheating, resulting in melting glaciers, rising sea levels, extreme weather and other negative impacts on ecosystems and human society. Quite simply, we are overwatering our pot.
Myth 4: Scientists themselves disagree
It may surprise you, but you couldn't be further from the truth here. According to a 2013 report published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, over 97% of climate scientists who publish climate science papers agree that current extreme climate change is mainly caused by human activity. Many scientific organisations, such as the American Meteorological Society and the US National Academy of Sciences, have issued statements supporting this view while emphasising the urgency of addressing climate change.
Another report by the now familiar IPCC in 2021 highlights that global temperature has risen by around 1.1°C since pre-industrial times, indicating an extremely rapid increase in recent decades, again compared to prehistoric changes. These and many other similar studies provide indisputable figures and facts that clearly demonstrate the agreement of the scientific community.
Human activity is not only destructive, we are trying to save many things, for example, there is an effort to reforest much more deforested rainforestsPhoto: Adobe Stock
Myth 5: Individual action is meaningless, superpowers do nothing anyway
This is not entirely accurate either. Yes, it is mainly the US, China, Russia and India, which are among the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters. However, it is not true that these countries are doing nothing about it. That is, except for Russia, where nothing significant is happening, even though it has accepted ratification of the Paris Agreement (an international treaty to combat climate change) in 2019.
In the US, the focus is currently on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in renewable energy. China is also investing in renewable energy and trying to reduce its reliance on coal. It is also emerging as a major player in the field of electric cars. India is promoting solar energy and other renewable sources.
As far as Europe is concerned, Europe, as we know, is probably the one that is dealing with climate change the most, and there are plenty of impacts from various measures and laws on a regular basis. What is important, however, are the initial changes on a personal scale. It is the same as in business. Where there is demand, there is supply. Customer pressure for changes in the product range, whether in a positive or negative sense, forces the retailer to cancel or order specific goods. Similarly, politicians are forced to act in some cases, especially where there is demand not only from the public but also from international scientific institutions.
This is also why various initiatives to promote sustainability are being developed, and all kinds of companies have been offering different product variants with this trend in mind for a long time, e.g. insects as raw materials for human and animal cuisine are now very common. In the 1990s, waste sorting was the preserve of eccentrics, but today there are coloured bins in almost every village.
Every such high-profile action that gets media coverage, every interesting idea and sudden solution to long-term challenges... all of this leaves a mark on the space, and every year the question of what we will eventually do with it all grows more urgent. It hasn't quite been answered yet.
