MYTH 1:
The Earth’s Climate Has Always Changed
Over the course of Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, the climate has changed a lot, this is true. However, the rapid warming we’re seeing now can't be explained by natural cycles of warming and cooling. The kind of changes that would normally happen over hundreds of thousands of years are happening in decades.
Global temperatures are now at their highest since records began. In fact, the 10 warmest years on Earth, since 1880, have occurred since 2014.
MYTH 2:
Climate Change Is A Future Problem
There is no longer an excuse for inaction on climate change as it pushes the burden of addressing the climate crisis onto future generations.We’re already seeing the devastating effects of climate change on global food supplies, migration, conflict, disease and global instability, which will only get worse if we don’t act now. Human-made climate change is the biggest crisis of our time. It threatens the future of the planet that we depend on for our survival and we're the last generation that can do something about it.
MYTH 3:
We can’t possibly know that humans are causing climate change.
We can, and we do. Global temperature and CO2 levels in the atmosphere have increased in lockstep since humans began burning large amounts of coal and other fossil fuels during the Industrial Revolution.
MYTH 4:
Humans, plants, and animals can adapt to climate change.
Adaptation has been a hallmark of successful species for hundreds of millions of years. But there are strict limits on how quickly — and to what extent — people, plants, and animals can adapt.
MYTH 5:
There’s nothing we can do about climate change, so why bother.
Scientists have repeatedly declared that humanity already has the tools and technologies to stop climate change and avoid its worst impacts. The IPCC Synthesis Report ranks the five key approaches that can limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
MYTH 6:
“It’s Cold Outside So Global Warming Isn’t Real.”
This argument is based on the false assumption that everywhere will be impacted equally by climate change. In reality, some regions such as Earth’s poles will see average temperatures rise much more sharply than those nearer to the equator. There will still be cold days and nights, of course- this has never been disputed. However, on average, temperatures will rise all across the world.
MYTH 7:
“It’s Too Late.”
Taking these myths into account, if we want to prevent climate change from getting out of hand we need to act now. We need to make ourselves heard, but we also need to take action ourselves. You don’t have to wait for anyone’s permission to start living a more sustainable and environmentally-conscious lifestyle. Whether it’s through your diet, your travel or your household’s energy consumption, there are numerous steps you can take right now to become a part of the change.
MYTH 8:
Over the past few hundred years, the sun's activity, including the number of sunspots, has increased, causing the world to get warmer.
Science: In the last 35 years of global warming, the sun has shown a slight cooling trend, while the climate has been heating up, scientists say. In the past century, solar activity can explain some of the increase in global temperatures, but a relatively small amount. (Solar activity refers to the activity of the sun's magnetic field and includes magnetic field-powered sunspots and solar flares.)
A study published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics in December 2011 revealed that even during a prolonged lull in the sun's activity, Earth still continued to warm. The study researchers found that the Earth absorbed 0.58 watts of excess energy per square meter than escaped back into space during the study period from 2005 to 2010, a time when solar activity was low.
MYTH 9:
Addressing Climate Change Is Too Expensive; It Will Cripple the Economy.
The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of addressing climate change. Extreme weather events already cause billions of dollars in damages every year. Investing in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency not only combats climate change, but also creates jobs, boosts energy independence, and improves air quality. The transition to a sustainable future presents an economic opportunity, not a burden.
According to the WEF over the past 20 years, extreme weather events globally, like hurricanes, floods and heat waves, have cost an estimated $2.8 trillion, averaging a loss of 16.8 million dollars per hour. More Studies show we are currently on track to lose over 3 trillion dollars by the year 2050. This reflects the true cost of inaction towards climate change
MYTH 10:
Heatwaves and Wildfires Have Nothing to Do With Climate Change.
Climate change is making extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, wildfires, and floods, more frequent and intense. Evidence shows that extreme heat waves have increased since the 1950s, with human-induced climate change being the primary driver. As global temperatures rise, these extremes continue to worsen.
Sources: WWF, Covering Climate Now, earth.org, UNEP
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