Debunked False Claims About Co2 Measurement And Climate Model Scam

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 6, 2025, 8:18 PM

debunked false claims about co2 measurement and climate model scam

An Oct. 29 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a large turbine-like object hanging inside of a greenhouse. "If carbon dioxide is so bad for the planet, why do greenhouse growers buy CO2 generators to double plant growth?" reads text above the image. The user captioned the post, "Science is hard. #ClimateChangeScam." More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

The use of CO2 in a greenhouse setting does not contradict climate science or show that climate change is a "scam." CO2 is used in greenhouse settings to boost plant growth. Data shows CO2 is also causing modern global warming − and an array of negative consequences − by slowing the escape of heat energy into space. Some people claim climate change is a hoax invented for political or financial gain, but scientific evidence shows otherwise. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that over 97% of actively publishing climate scientists agree that the Earth’s climate is warming and human activities are the main cause. NASA has tracked rising surface temperatures since the late 19th century, revealing an undeniable upward trend. The last decade has been the warmest on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

The myth of a hoax is often spread by misinformation and political agendas, but the science is clear. Multiple independent scientific organizations worldwide have confirmed the reality of climate change. The data comes from satellite measurements, ocean buoys, and land-based weather stations. Denying this overwhelming evidence ignores decades of rigorous, peer-reviewed research. Another widespread myth is that climate change is simply part of the Earth’s natural fluctuations. While it’s true that the climate has changed over millions of years, today’s changes are happening much faster than in the past.

Scientists have studied ice cores, tree rings, and sediment layers to understand natural cycles, and none match the speed and scale of recent warming. The IPCC emphasizes that human activities like burning fossil fuels have rapidly increased greenhouse gases, causing temperatures to rise. Natural factors like volcanic activity and solar cycles cannot account for the current pace of change. The current warming is not a return to some past natural state but a new and dangerous trend. Evidence shows that the planet is warming faster now than at any time in at least the last 2,000 years. This myth distracts from the urgent need for action.

Saying “the climate is always changing” is technically true but misleading. Past climate shifts happened over thousands or even millions of years, allowing ecosystems and species to adapt gradually. Today, the rate of change is so rapid that animals, plants, and even human societies are struggling to keep up. The World Meteorological Organization reports that extreme weather events are happening more often and with greater intensity. Modern climate change is not just a repeat of ancient cycles but a crisis caused primarily by burning coal, oil, and gas. The sudden rise in global temperatures, sea levels, and changing weather patterns is not “normal.” If left unchecked, this rapid change will outpace our ability to adapt.

Ignoring the unique speed of today’s warming risks severe consequences for all life on Earth. Despite overwhelming evidence, some still argue that global warming is not happening. However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by about 1.2 degrees Celsius since 1880. Glaciers and Arctic sea ice are melting at record rates, and sea levels are rising steadily. The last seven years have been the warmest since record-keeping began, according to NASA. Heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts have become more common across the globe.

These are not isolated events but part of a global pattern of warming. Scientific measurements from land, sea, and satellites all confirm this trend. Denying global warming ignores a massive body of consistent, reliable data. Some people point to cold snaps or snowstorms as proof that global warming isn’t real. But weather and climate are not the same. Weather refers to short-term local conditions, while climate is the long-term average of weather patterns.

In fact, climate change can lead to more extreme and unpredictable weather, including cold spells. The “polar vortex” can bring unusually cold air to certain areas even as the planet overall warms. The IPCC explains that climate change disrupts established weather patterns, making extremes more likely. Global warming doesn’t mean every place gets hotter at all times. It means the average temperature of the Earth is rising, even if some places still experience cold days. 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. Full Professor in the Department of Communication, University of Copenhagen Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Communication, University of Copenhagen Klaus Bruhn Jensen receives funding from the European Research Council and is an Affiliate of the International Panel on the Information Environment.

Semahat Ece Elbeyi receives funding from the European Research Council and is a Consultant Scientist of the International Panel on the Information Environment. Ten years ago, the world committed itself to keeping global warming well below 2°C (and preferably below 1.5°C) above the pre-industrial era. This would be done by reducing greenhouse gas emissions significantly by 2030 and ending all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This was the time of promises, with 195 countries signing up to the legally binding, global treaty on climate change, the Paris Agreement. The paper rejects climate models on human-induced global warming and has been widely cited on social media as being the first "peer-reviewed" research led by artificial intelligence (AI) on the topic. Titled "A Critical Reassessment of the Anthropogenic CO2-Global Warming Hypothesis," it contains references contested by the scientific community, according to experts interviewed by AFP.

Computational and ethics researchers also cautioned against claims of neutrality in papers that use AI as an author. The new study -- which claims to be entirely written by Elon Musk's Grok 3 AI -- rapidly gained traction following a blog post by Covid-19 contrarian Robert Malone and gathered more than a... Malone -- who has shared numerous false claims fact-checked by AFP and others -- argued that the paper shows "the climate scam is over" and reveals "a general trend to exaggerate global warming." This essay was published as part of a Special Issue on Conspiracy Theories, guest-edited by Dr. Daniel Stockemer (Full Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa) and Jean-Nicolas Bordeleau (Ph.D. Candidate, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa).

Are climate change conspiracy theories widespread across the world, or do we find climate change conspiracy beliefs more so in some countries than in others? This research note explores the prevalence of conspiracy beliefs that identify climate change as a hoax across eight geographically and culturally diverse countries. Using original data, we found that climate change conspiracy beliefs are prevalent around the world, with some variations across countries. Our results indicate that political ideology, populist attitudes, age, and distrust of scientists primarily explain climate change conspiracy beliefs. We found cross-national heterogeneity in the importance of age and political ideology as determinants of such beliefs. School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Canada

School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Canada Around the world, millions of people adhere to conspiracy theories. They believe that the COVID-19 pandemic was deliberately produced to harm mankind, that a deep state controls politics, or that the American 2020 election was stolen, among others (Bordeleau, 2023). What these explanations have in common is that they relate to real events, but they offer alternative, speculative, and unsubstantiated explanations of these events (Douglas et al., 2019). In their review, Douglas and Sutton (2023) defined conspiracy theories as “a belief that two or more actors have coordinated in secret to achieve an outcome, and that their conspiracy is of public interest,... 287).

A July 30 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a screenshot of a post from X, formerly Twitter, that includes side-by-side maps of the U.S. with a scattering of red dots. “The US was much hotter in 1913 – left – than 2023 – right,” reads the text in the X post. “1913 was 86% of industrial era atmospheric CO2 ago (sic). So much for claims of emissions-driven heat.” The Instagram caption adds, "All they do is lie with their fake #climatescam to extend power and control."

The Instagram post was liked nearly 300 times in two weeks. The X post garnered more than 1,000 reposts in one week. Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks

Debunked False Claims About Co2 Measurement And Climate Model Scam

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