Debunking Climate Change Myths

There are many myths out there on climate change, some of which have been perpetuated by western political and business leaders, the media…and us. These myths are listed below.

MYTH 1: Climate Change continues to be debated among climatologists
Over two thousand climatologists (over 90%) have concluded that the average earth temperature (15 degrees Celsius – or 59 degrees Fahrenheit) has increased by .06 degrees Celsius in the 20th century primarily due to human activity. The temperature will continue to increase to a whopping 5 degrees C by the end of this century if we do little to reduce our greenhouse emissions.

Natural greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour) make up a small percentage of our atmosphere. They block some of the solar heat from escaping so that life on planet earth can be warm and cozy (for the most part). Without these gases, the average temperature on our planet would be -18C. Hardly beach weather.

Scientists have confirmed human activity has been primarily responsible for increasing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. How can they tell? Through the reduction of radioactivity in carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide from the planet surface (from living and dying plants & animals) is radioactive. Carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels has no radioactivity. So, increases in greenhouse gases, decreases in radioactivity. Not only that but other human produced gases such as nitrous oxide (from fertilizers) and hydrofluorocarbons (cooling agents, aerosol) have joined the greenhouse gas soup.

There is a small group of scientists who have challenged these conclusions. They are the ones who work for corporations, like…oil and fertilizer companies for instance.

When it comes to listening to the majority of scientists who have come to a consensus on an issue (through rigorous studying and testing), or a small group who represent company interests, who are you going to believe?

MYTH 2: I don’t mind if it gets a little warmer. What kind of difference will a temperature increase make.
When you take the frigid cold of our poles, the unbearable heat of our deserts and jungles and everything in between, you get an average temperature of about 15 degrees C. It’s been this way for over 400,000 years, the time when Homo Sapiens Sapiens walked the earth. Yes there are fluctuations, but it has all evened out to about 15 degrees. This average temperature sustains our species and all other species (animal and vegetable) that currently call Earth home. Many of these species, which we rely on for sustenance, are highly vulnerable to change, as we are currently witnessing. There is an intricate ecological connection, a balance with which we are meddling. This balance is starting to unravel, like stockings with a run in them.

During the last Ice Age, the planet was about 5 degrees C cooler than it is now. If we do very little to decrease our greenhouse gas emissions now, the average temperature of our climate will increase by 5 degrees C. Ironically, some parts such as Europe may get a lot colder due to the disruption in the Atlantic conveyor belt.

MYTH 3: Big business and cars are the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases
They certainly don’t help. Households make up a fair chunk as well. We use coal and oil for electricity and heating. We send tons of waste to the landfills every year which creates methane. We eat great quantities of beef, and the beef industry is another contributor to methane – thanks to farting and burping cows. Bizarre but true. There is also a little thing called “embodied energy”, the energy it takes to make things. Most things man made have a greenhouse price tag to them.

So yes, businesses are major contributors. But they’re only creating products for us. And we are consuming them.

MYTH 4: Addressing climate change is bad for business and will put me out of pocket
This assumption is puzzling. How in the world does making your business and home more energy efficient costly? Sure you may have to make an upfront investment, but the overall savings can be considerable.

Much of the problem resides in waste. Waste in electricity, fuel, food, etc. Cutting down on much of your waste will free up a lot of your money.

Yes, some companies must invest millions to pollute less and it’s up to our governments to give them incentives to do so. Our current economy also thrives on waste. How many products are built to last?

This all has to change. If it doesn’t, the economy will get a real kick in the stomach.

Think about New Orleans. The city was warned that it would not withstand a class four hurricane. It needed to secure its levees and floodgates at a cost of about $2.5 billion. Decision makers decided against it. Now they’re cleaning up a devastated city, with thousands of people and animals dead or misplaced and with damage estimated at over $100 billion.

Because the planet is warming, we can expect stronger and more frequent hurricanes to ravage Mexico, the Caribbean and American Gulf Coast. We can also expect shortages of fresh water, increased frequency of deadly diseases, crop failure, not to mention coastal flooding (the North Pole is expected to fully melt by the end of this century. Great big pieces of Antarctica are breaking away – when Antarctica goes, so does New York City, New Orleans, Florida, much of the Netherlands, Bangladesh and other low lying areas, including Eastern Canada and probably the delta area in B.C.’s Lower Mainland.)

On November 11, 2005 the Toronto Star reported: “Canada is more vulnerable to climate change than any other industrialized nation but is dangerously unprepared to deal with the ‘unavoidable’ impacts, warns a study specially commissioned by Prime Minister Paul Martin.” The unpublished report was prepared by a 24 member advisory committee made up of business and labour leaders, academics, environmentalists and civic activists. Why is Canada more vulnerable? Canada can anticipate large-scale damage to our forests, fish and agriculture thanks to higher temperatures and less reliable precipitation. It is anticipated that large swaths of Ontario’s boreal forest are likely to die over the next century and that parts of our coastal regions will flood. Meanwhile, we are in for a water shortage crisis.

Once the great Pandora’s Box of climate change is open (and it is opening), a great big vicious circle is in danger of ensuing. Here’s one example: under the arctic tundra, which has been frozen for hundreds of thousands of years, lie great stores of methane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, many times more effective in keeping in the heat than carbon dioxide. Once the arctic thaws by the end of the century, that methane will be released into our atmosphere.

MYTH 5: We can do little about climate change if the developing world doesn’t stop polluting.
Canada and the US have made this claim for many years now.

North Western countries and Australia make up 20% of the world’s population and yet consume 80% of the planet’s resources. The largest contributor by far of greenhouse gas emissions is the US, followed closely by Canada and then Australia. China and India are getting up there to.

We are the world’s biggest consumers and by consuming we burn fossil fuels. Our society is dependent on oil and coal to heat, move and get things made. We were raised with a belief that we have progressed to this point and things will only get better. Crank up the heat and throw out the cell phone that’s out of fashion and the copious food in our fridges that’s gone bad. Eat until you’re stuffed.

It is up to Canada and North America to make a real commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions and invest in clean energy sources: hydrogen-technology, and energy generated from the sun, wind and waves, not to mention Geothermal energy. Forget about nuclear. It’s clean, until you have to find somewhere to put the radioactive waste that will thrive for hundreds of years.

The Canadian response to reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been embarrassing. Its emissions have increased by 24% since 1990 (the US’s emissions have increased by 13%). Its alternative-energy sector produces just 4.5% of Canada’s total energy production. Meanwhile, the Canadian government devotes $1.6 billion in subsidies each year to the oil industry. In other words, Canada is investing in something that not only heats up the planet but is drying up, and drying up fast.

Canada has the potential to show great leadership on clean energy. The U.S. government, while highly invested in oil, has actually directed a lot more money than Canada towards research and development in clean energy sources such as hydrogen-technology – Canada: $215 million, US: $3.8 billion, EU: $2.5 billion.

MYTH 6: We’re screwed.
There’s still time. The planet will continue to warm, but by how much depends on us (2 degrees or 5 degrees C). Would you rather wait until it’s too late or do something now?

Much has been made of the negative consequences to our economy and way of life if we try to reduce our greenhouse gases.

What if by reducing there are positive consequences to our economy and lifestyle?

Sources and Further Information

 * The Sierra Club of Canada also addresses some of these myths.


 * Climate Change Begins at Home, by Dave Reay – p. 154.


 * Some information was found in the No-Nonsense Guide to Climate Change, The Walrus and newspaper articles as mentioned.

Citation
The content in this article was adapted with permission from A Proposition - Reducing our Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Cheryl McNamara on the blog 60 percent.