Climate change causing widespread and irreversible impacts, says IPCC
New ScientistOct 26, 2021
The Facts
On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the "Climate breakdown has begun" after the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that the Northern Hemisphere experienced the hottest summer on record this year.
The average temperature from June to August 2023 was 16.77°C (62.19°F), or 0.66°F above average since records began in 1940. The average temperature of 16.82°C (62.47°F) for August was 0.71°C warmer than the 1991 to 2020 average for the month and 0.31°C warmer than the previous hottest August in 2016.
The Spin
Narrative A
Scientists have used every reliable tool in their arsenal to measure whether the Earth is heating, and the evidence clearly shows that we are reaching records not seen in hundreds of thousands of years. It's time for governments to accept that we won't be able to stop +1.5 or +2°C of warming, but if they act now, we can prevent the catastrophic +3°C warming that would stress civilization to the limit.
Narrative B
While climate change is an urgent issue, journalists and activists must separate the facts from fiction and describe environmental problems honestly and accurately. The catastrophic framing of climate change does far more harm than good, not only by impacting the youth's mental health but by alienating and polarizing large portions of the population and distracting them from other vital issues. Climate alarmism must be taken with a grain of salt.
