Myths

Characteristics of climate denial

Climate denial has five main characteristics: the use of fake experts, faulty logic, impossible expectations, cherry picking and conspiracy theories. 

Fake experts
Fake experts are pseudo-scientists who are used by climate sceptics to give the impression that there is no scientific consensus about climate change. These people appear to be highly qualified, but actually have no qualifications in the field. There are also a handful of legitimate experts who, until recently, have not accepted the climate consensus. These people have also been trotted out to give the public the impression there is no consensus. 

Logical fallacies
These are logically false arguments that lead to an invalid conclusion. An example would be the idea that CO₂ is a colourless, odourless gas, which constitutes only the tiniest proportion of the atmosphere, so how can it possibly cause global warming? Logical fallacies include misrepresenting the science, making faulty links (i.e. jumping to conclusions that don’t actually follow) and presenting false dichotomies (presenting only two choices when other options are available). 

Impossible expectations
This involves demanding unrealistic standards of proof before acting on the science. The tobacco industry pioneered this. Every time new evidence came out, the industry would demand a new, higher standard of proof. Climate sceptics require higher levels of proof for claims that conflict with their beliefs than for ones that conform to those beliefs. In other words, they create impossible expectations. 

Cherry picking
Cherry picking involves using only evidence that fits the desired conclusion, and excluding evidence that does not. This is a very common method used by climate sceptics. A good example would be the claim that because Louisville Kentucky has not experienced any increase in temperature over the past century, there cannot be any global warming. As we shall see later, the first part of this statement is correct, but the second part is absolutely false. 

Conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories are often the last vestige of climate sceptics, when no other explanation is available. The main such theory regarding climate change is that all the world’s experts, scientific institutions and journalists are conspiring to fake or exaggerate the evidence about the Earth’s temperature.