Languages

Climate Change Denial

English

Climate change: How do we know it is happening and caused by humans?

A firefighter in a wildfire

Scientists and politicians say we are facing a planetary crisis because of climate change.

But what's the evidence for global warming and how do we know it's being caused by humans?

How do we know the world is getting warmer?

Our planet has been warming rapidly since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.

The average temperature at the Earth's surface has risen about 1.1C since 1850. Furthermore, each of the last four decades has been warmer than any that preceded it, since the middle of the 19th Century.

Canada censoring its scientists

Canadian government is 'muzzling its scientists'

 

Canadian Arctic
Government experts tracked a new ozone hole, but were not allowed to give interviews.

The Canadian government has been accused of "muzzling" its scientists.

Speakers at a major science meeting being held in Canada said communication of vital research on health and environment issues is being suppressed. But one Canadian government department approached by the BBC said it held the communication of science as a priority. Prof Thomas Pedersen, a senior scientist at the University of Victoria, said he believed there was a political motive in some cases. "The Prime Minister (Stephen Harper) is keen to keep control of the message, I think to ensure that the government won't be embarrassed by scientific finding by Canadian scientists that run counter to sound environmental stewardship," he said.

“I suspect the federal government would prefer that its scientists don't discuss research that points out just how serious the climate change challenge is." Professor Thomas Pedersen University of Victoria

Email Addresses