University of Kwazulu-Natal

A Changing Climate Myths Vs Facts Center For Rural Health

Bonisiwe Shabane
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a changing climate myths vs facts center for rural health

You have probably heard increasing news reports about climate change and its impacts on human life and our ecosystems. This article will help you separate truth from misinformation when it comes to Earth’s changing climate. MYTH: The Earth’s climate is always changing.FACT: The Earth’s climate does change over time, usually over hundreds of thousands of years. However, since fossil fuels were introduced during the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, emissions have warmed the atmosphere at increasing rates. When researchers and journalists mention ‘climate change’, they are referring to climate changes that humans are responsible for through fossil fuel use. MYTH: Plants need carbon dioxide (CO2) to survive, so increased CO2 levels are okay.

FACT: Plants do need CO2 to survive, but there is a limit to how much CO2 they can use. As we lose trees and plant life to deforestation, less and less CO2 can be used by plants to exchange for oxygen. The current levels of CO2 in our atmosphere far exceed what our existing plant life can absorb. MYTH: Climate change is not real because it still gets cold in some places. FACT: Global warming, or the warming of Earth’s atmosphere due to climate change, does not simply result in warmer temperatures. The imbalance of the natural weather system has resulted in more frequent and more severe extreme weather events, such as droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and record-breaking temperatures across the globe.

MYTH: Scientists do not agree on the cause of climate change. FACT: Several independent studies have found that, over the past 2 decades, over 97% of scientists agree that humans are the main cause of recent climate changes. Just in March of 2023, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), composed of hundreds of scientists, confirmed that climate change is due to human activity. MYTH: Small, fractional changes in global temperatures are not a big deal. FACT: Even the smallest decimal changes in global temperatures can have a detrimental impact on our climate. Greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels have already raised the global temperature by 1.1° C from 1850–1900.

A 1.5° C increase in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels will bring more severe heat waves, and shorter cold seasons, with worsening extreme weather events to follow. It starts with a whisper—rising seas nibbling away at coastlines, warmer winters replacing the cold snaps of old, forests catching fire in places that once stood serene and damp. Somewhere, a polar bear drifts on a dwindling ice floe. Elsewhere, a farmer stares at the cracked, parched earth that once yielded life. And everywhere, people are asking: Is this real? Is it natural?

Is it too late? Global warming. For decades, those two words have hovered in the background of public discourse, growing louder with each passing year. Yet for every scientist shouting the alarm, there’s a social media post casting doubt. Climate change is real, they say. No, it’s a hoax.

It’s human-caused. No, it’s natural. The confusion is not surprising. When fear, politics, and profit collide, the truth often gets buried. But today, we dig it out. Not with shouting, but with clarity.

Not with fear, but with facts. This is a journey through science and storytelling, separating myth from reality, to help you understand what global warming really is—and why the truth matters now more than ever. The story of global warming is ancient, stretching back far before the Industrial Revolution. Our planet’s climate has never been static. It has swung from ice ages to tropical epochs over millions of years, driven by natural factors like volcanic activity, solar radiation, and changes in Earth’s orbit. But something different began in the late 18th century.

Humanity discovered coal, then oil, then gas. We built engines, powered factories, lit up cities, and transformed the world. And in doing so, we began to alter the chemistry of our atmosphere in ways nature never had. With the climate crisis becoming a hot topic in mainstream media - there's a lot of confusion around what climate change actually is and what's causing it. That's why we've tried to clear up some of the most frequently heard myths, so that you can tell fiction from fact! 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.[1] And just last year, in 2024, our world got hotter than ever before, temporarily going beyond the 1.5C climate threshold... So, when people talk about climate change today, they mean anthropogenic (human-made) climate change. This is the warming of Earth’s average temperature as a result of human activity, such as burning coal, oil and gas to produce energy to fuel our homes and transport, and cutting down trees...

You can read more about it here: How do we know climate change is real? Global warming is causing the Earth’s average surface temperature to rise which, in turn, is causing changes in our natural climate systems. These changes are making all sorts of extreme weather events more likely and more severe, including more intense droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes but also, strangely, an increased potential for more severe cold weather events. The story of the newly married couple and their dream of continuing the family farming legacy is a tale of determination and resilience in the face of challenges. With a deep-rooted belief in living off the land and improving it for future generations, they encountered obstacles such as limited land availability and the need to manage it for multiple family members. Soil is the foundation of productive, sustainable agriculture.

Over 20 years ago, we implemented no-till practices to help improve the soil and reduce our fuel costs. We were cautioned against running cattle or other ruminant animals on the no-till fields to avoid compaction and the impact of their hooves. Our family farm was founded on cattle, specifically Simmental cattle, so they have been a major part of our fifth-generation ranch. Climate misinformation is everywhere. This guide equips journalists to recognize and refute key myths and report the truth. The Keeling Curve, showing the rise in global atmospheric carbon dioxide levels since the pre-industrial era.

(Source: Scripps Institution of Oceanography) Scientists the world over agree that climate change is real, it’s happening now, and it’s caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Still, there are a lot of myths being repeated about climate change, and even journalists can get taken in. Most climate change myths have been perpetuated by fossil fuel companies, their political allies, and others with vested interests in the status quo. For decades, they’ve spent millions of dollars on advertising, think tank “studies,” and lobbying to confuse the public, policymakers, and the press and thereby forestall climate action. This has led some journalists to soften their coverage — for example, by not connecting climate change to extreme weather — leaving the public misinformed.

This guide equips journalists to recognize and refute these myths and report the truth. February 6, 2024 · In: Awareness, Education Climate change discussions are often clouded by myths and misinformation. Our mission today? To clear the air by diving into the facts, debunking common myths, and exploring actionable steps we can all take to safeguard our planet. Climate change isn’t just about warmer days; it’s about shifts in global temperatures and weather patterns over time.

While Earth’s climate has always been in flux, the rapid changes we’re witnessing today are largely due to human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Every region has its tale of climate change. From droughts in California to vanishing coastlines in the Maldives, these stories make the global crisis personal and pressing. Switching to a plant-based meal a few times a week can significantly cut down on carbon emissions. Plus, it’s a delicious adventure in sustainable living! Climate change discussions are often clouded by myths, causing confusion about what’s true and what isn’t.

We’re going to clear up some common misunderstandings by comparing widely held myths against the facts. With insights from scientists and the latest research, we aim to provide a clearer picture of the real impacts of climate change. This understanding is crucial for making informed decisions about our planet’s future. So let’s set the record straight and address these myths with accurate, research-backed information. Myth: Climate Change is Just Part of Earth’s Natural Cycle Myth: There is No Scientific Consensus on Climate Change Myth: Cold Weather Disproves Global Warming Myth: Climate Models are Unreliable Myth: Animals and Plants... Throughout Earth’s history, the climate has naturally fluctuated due to various factors such as volcanic eruptions, changes in solar radiation, and shifts in the Earth’s orbit.

These natural cycles have caused the climate to warm and cool over millennia. However, what we are seeing today with global warming is different both in pace and in cause. The rate at which global temperatures are rising is unprecedented in human history. Studies of ice core samples, which allow scientists to analyse atmospheric gases from the past, clearly show that the current levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere are far higher than anything... Before the Industrial Revolution, which began around 1750, Earth’s climate changes were gradual and caused by natural factors. However, with the onset of industrialisation, humans began burning large amounts of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

This has released immense quantities of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun, leading to what we know as the greenhouse effect, which has caused the rapid warming observed in recent decades.

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