Claim reviews
The Earth is a sphere that rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun, contrary to Flat Earth video
CLAIM
“The Earth is not a globe. The Earth is stationary.”
SOURCE: Amber Plaster, Flat Earth
Published: 27 Nov 2020
VERDICT
Brush rake attachments are primarily used to pile up heavy forest debris as part of active thinning, harvesting, and removal projects
CLAIM
“this is [...] a brush rake. It's used for clearing underbrush and debris from the forest floor that builds up and creates fuel for wild fires. Now you can stop looking stupid trying to make fun of Trump telling California to rake the forest.”
SOURCE: Facebook users, Facebook
Published: 04 Nov 2020
VERDICT
Sea ice loss due to climate change is the biggest threat to polar bear survival and has already led to declines in some polar bear subpopulations, contrary to “Climate Realism” video message
CLAIM
“In 1950, there were around 10,000 polar bears globally. Today, polar bear populations are near 39,000. Polar bear populations are increasing dramatically as the planet has warmed.”
SOURCE: Andy Singer, Climate Realism, Heartland Institute
Published: 29 Oct 2020
VERDICT
Climate change can make it harder for the Amazon rainforest to grow back from deforestation, but that does not mean 40% of it will now turn into a savanna
CLAIM
“Amazon near tipping point of switching from rainforest to savannah”
SOURCE: Fiona Harvey, The Guardian
Published: 14 Oct 2020
VERDICT
Climate change, forest management and several other causes contribute to wildfire severity and total area burned in the western United States
CLAIM
“Forest fires are caused by poor management. Not by climate change.”
SOURCE: Anonymous, Facebook
Published: 16 Sep 2020
VERDICT
Western US wildfires are not the result of widespread arson
CLAIM
a distressing number of the [West coast] fires are not accidents, and willful arson is the cause.
SOURCE: Glen Morgan, We The Governed
Published: 14 Sep 2020
VERDICT
Planting trees can help mitigate some aspects of climate change, but it cannot solve all environmental crises
CLAIM
“Trees provide a solution to almost all environmental crises we're facing. Trees reverse climate change by cleaning carbon from the air.”
SOURCE: Pamela Anderson, 8 Billion Trees
Published: 25 Aug 2020
VERDICT
The long-term survival of polar bears is threatened by loss of sea-ice due to global warming, new study confirms
CLAIM
"Global warming is driving polar bears toward extinction"
SOURCE: Henry Fountain, The New York Times
Published: 27 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Greenhouse gases cause global warming by trapping infra-red radiations, not by “causing more holes in the ozone layer”
CLAIM
Greenhouse gases emitted into the ocean are causing more holes in the ozone layer … “the ozone layer has holes in it causing global temperature to rise”
SOURCE: Otis Holland, Instagram
Published: 21 Jul 2020
VERDICT
Study evaluates natural and human causes of recent rapid warming rate at the South Pole
CLAIM
Surface air temperatures at the bottom of the world have risen three times faster than the global average since the 1990s.
SOURCE: Henry Fountain, The New York Times
Published: 06 Jul 2020
VERDICT
