Claim reviews
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
Climate scientists agree that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are primarily responsible for climate change, contrary to claims in Clear Energy Alliance video
CLAIM
The scientific consensus on whether global warming is human caused is not 97 percent, it’s less than 1 percent. There is no way to measure the human impact on climate change.
SOURCE: Mark Mathis, Clear Energy Alliance
Published: 25 Jun 2020
VERDICT
Low solar activity has little effect on Earth’s climate, contrary to claim in The Sun
CLAIM
"The sun has gone into ‘lockdown’ which could cause freezing weather, earthquakes and famine, say scientists"
SOURCE: Chris Pollard, The Sun
Published: 20 May 2020
VERDICT
The global polar bear population is threatened by loss of sea ice, contrary to PragerU’s video claim
CLAIM
The polar bear population has been growing. Polar bears are thriving even where sea ice is diminishing.
SOURCE: Anonymous, PragerU
Published: 18 May 2020
VERDICT
Diesel cars are a major source of NO2 emissions in European cities, contrary to online claim
CLAIM
The drop in NO2 content has only been “slight”. So it cannot be the evil diesel engine cars that are “choking” our cities.
SOURCE: Holger Douglas, Tichys Einblick
Published: 02 May 2020
VERDICT
Claim that CO2 is cooling the planet is misleading, anthropogenic CO2 emissions overall cause global warming
CLAIM
Global warming slowing down? 'Ironic' study finds more CO2 has slightly cooled the planet
SOURCE: Sebastian Kettley, Express
Published: 24 Apr 2020
VERDICT
Human activities have dramatically increased atmospheric CO2 levels, causing imbalances in the global carbon cycle
CLAIM
Human additions of CO2 are in the margin of error of current measurements and the gradual increase in CO2 is mainly from oceans degassing as the planet slowly emerges from the last ice age.
SOURCE: Cole Ryan, I Love Carbon Dioxide
Published: 20 Apr 2020
VERDICT
Human-induced increases in greenhouse gases are the primary driver of global warming, contrary to claims in CFACT article
CLAIM
They tell us that we are the primary forces controlling earth temperatures by the burning of fossil fuels and releasing their carbon dioxide. I hope my readers can recognize the absurdity of their claims. … increasing sunspots are linked to increases in earth temperature
SOURCE: Jay Lehr, CFACT
Published: 15 Apr 2020
VERDICT
Scientists observe most widespread bleaching event ever recorded at The Great Barrier Reef
CLAIM
The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing the most widespread bleaching ever recorded
SOURCE: Michael Slezak and Penny Timms, ABC News
Published: 11 Apr 2020
VERDICT
The Antarctic ozone layer is recovering, but The Independent claim fails to grasp significance of study it relies on
CLAIM
The ozone layer is healing
SOURCE: Louise Boyle, The Independent
Published: 07 Apr 2020
VERDICT
