The top 10 climate change denier arguments below are just a few of the over 217 some sites list. Factcheck of denier arguments shows changes over time, as the repeating of myths and opposition becomes untenable. Let’s look at these top 10 arguments in more detail.
Stop Burning Rocks
For a million years, mankind has been burning rocks (or wood) for heat, energy for cooking, and warmth. Since Stephenson in 1829 with the invention of the steam engine, powered by fossil fuel, we burn rocks to provide energy. The problem is that CO2 emissions are more than earth can deal with, and the excess emissions have changed the climate. Science in the 1970’s clearly showed this and the past 50 years has been a slow progression to accept and change.
The reality is that the planet earth, which 8 billion people call home, is slowly but surely undergoing a rate of climate change caused by human activity (which some call the Anthropocene. The IPPC V6 report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability follows on from the science in the first report in 2021.
“The report finds that limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require ‘rapid and far-reaching’ transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities. Global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) would need to fall by about 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching ‘net zero’ around 2050.”
IPPC Report Summary 2018 (Details here)
Beware that greenwashing strategies may be just spin. While presented as effective climate change actions, the arguments or actions are not based on science but on marketing spin.
5 Corrupt Pillars of Climate Deniers
The Conversation describes 5 corrupt pillars.
- Deny the Problem Exists
- Deny We’re the Cause
- Deny It’s a Problem
- Deny We can Solve It
- It’s too Late
10 Climate Change Denier Arguments
CBS News, while not a science article summarises it clearly.
- It’s the sun
- Carbon dioxide levels are tiny. They can’t make a difference.
- Scientists disagree on the cause of climate change.
- The climate has always changed. It’s natural.
- It’s cold out. What happened to global warming?
- In the 1970s scientists warned about a coming ice age. They were wrong. So why should we believe them now?
- Someone has rigged the temperature records (or changed them).
- Climate models are not accurate.
- Grand Solar Minimum is coming. It will counteract global warming.
- Scientists claim climate change will destroy the planet by 2030.
Playing Bingo on Climate Change Myths
Social media, alt-right media that deny climate change put up many arguments. Some have suggested turning it into Bingo.
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just part of the natural cycle | It’s not due to Us | It’s still Cold | Climate Change does not affect Asthma | There is nothing to do |
| Warming might be good | 1 degree is no big deal | solar flares cause the problem | More important things to tackle | Climate change does not affect CV disease |
| Natural disasters are not affected by global warming | Climate change does not affect mental health | Climate change has not affected anyone yet. | Climate change is a future problem | renewable energy is expensive |
| climate change does not affect Lyme disease | CO2 is not the cause | CO2 has no effect on the nutritional value of food | Warming has paused | Climate models are wrong |
| Scientists do not agree on climate change | Climate change will not affect me | Plants need CO2 | Climate Change in not harmful to health | Climate change does not cause premature death |
217 Climate Change Denier Arguments
Head to Sceptical Science for a list of arguments, and they acknowledge Dr. Jan Dash, Director of the UU-UNO’s Climate Portal for writing many of the one-line responses in ‘What the Science Says’, with some edits by John Cook.
https://skepticalscience.com/argument.php
5 Oil Companies Spend $200 Billion
