Media Construction of Global Warming

PowerPoint Slide Show, Lesson 8

History of Global Warming in the Media

Dec. 4, 1957

Feb. 2, 1970

1970

An Aquarian Festival of Joy & Harmony

on Earth

Artisans, Artists, and Craftsmen Gather Your Endeavors to Sell, Buy, Trade, & Teach

Geodesic Dome Inhabited by

Spiritual Groups

1970

Climate Experts Assay Ice Age CluesNEW YORK TIMES, Jan. 27, 1972

Climatic Change: Are We on the Brink of a Pronounced Global Warming?

SCIENCE, August 1975

2 Climate Experts Decry Predictions of Disaster

NEW YORK TIMES, Feb. 22, 1976

Even U.S. Farms May Be Hit by Cooling TrendU.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, May 31, 1976

Is Energy Use Overheating World?U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, July 25, 1977

What do these headlines communicate about scientific discourse on climate change during the 1970s?

Study Says Man Alters ClimateNEW YORK TIMES, Sept. 23, 1971

March 1, 1975

THE ICE AGECOMETH?

June 20,

1979

President Jimmy Carter at the Dedication ofSolar Panels added to the White House

Feb. 24, 1979

Public Opinion Poll

May 1981Union of Concerned Scientists

Question: Have you heard or read anything about the Greenhouse Effect? Had heard ___%

Had not heard

38

___%50

Aug. 24, 1981

Oct. 19, 1987

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (formed in 1988)

The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.

UNEP

logo

Global Climate Coalition (formed in 1989)The GCC coordinates business participation in the scientific and policy debate on the global climate change issue. The Global Climate Coalition is an organization of private companies and business trade associations representing more than 230,000 firms.

July 4, 1988

Aug. 23, 1988

What do these headlines communicate about the political response to global warming in the late

1980s?Policy Makers, Spurred by Ozone Treaty, Consider Tackling ‘Greenhouse Effect’WALL STREET JOURNAL, Sept. 17, 1987

Baker Urges Steps on Global Warming; Reduce Emissions, Energy Efficiency, Reforestation Recommended

WASHINGTON POST, Jan. 31, 1989

U.S., in a Shift, Seeks Treaty on Global Warming NEW YORK TIMES, May 12, 1989

World Leaders to Focus on Environment at Economic Summit, Document ShowsWALL STREET JOURNAL, July 7, 1989

House and Senate Recognize a Pork Barrel When They See One, Warm to the Environment

WALL STREET JOURNAL, Aug. 16, 1989

Industrial Nations Can’t Reach Pact to Fight WarmingWALL STREET JOURNAL, Nov. 8, 1989

1990 Public Opinion Poll Union of Concerned Scientists

Question: Because of their concerns about global warming, many industrialized countries have recently made commitments to limit or reduce their amount of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels released into the air. The Bush administration believes that scientific predictions of global warming are too uncertain and refuses to commit the U.S. to any such carbon dioxide limit. Do you believe that the U.S. should join other industrialized countries in committing to carbon dioxide emissions limits, or should we wait for greater scientific certainty before making a commitment?

Join other countries 69%

U.S. should wait 26%

Public Opinion Poll

1990Union of Concerned Scientists

1990

The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect from observations is not likely for a decade or more.

- IPCC, 1990

Jan. 6, 1992

1995

The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect from observations is not likely for a decade or more.

- IPCC, 1990

The balance of evidence suggests a discernable human influence on global climate.

- IPCC, 1995

What do these newspaper headlines communicate leading up to the Kyoto Conference in December 1997?

Industry Expects Economic Havoc Following Carbon Emissions CutsCHEMICAL MARKET REPORTE, Oct. 6, 1997

Exxon Urges Developing Nations to Shun Environmental Curbs Hindering GrowthWALL STREET JOURNAL, Nov. 14, 1997

Clinton Struggles to Appease all Sides Over Climate ProposalsNATURE, Oct. 30, 1997

Waning Influence Provokes Green Groups’ FrustrationNATURE, Nov. 20, 1997

Public Backs Tough Steps for a Treaty on WarmingNEW YORK TIMES, Nov. 28, 1997

Climate Change: EU Still in the Vanguard on the Eve of the Kyoto ConferenceEUROPEAN REPORT, Nov. 28, 1997

Industrialized, Developing Nations Clash at Kyoto Climate Change TalksOIL AND GAS JOURNAL, Dec. 1,1997

China Attacks Proposed Gas CurbsFINANCIAL TIMES OF LONDON, Dec. 6, 1997

Ford Shifts on Global Warming: Automaker Decides to Quit Coalition Battling Kyoto TreatyTHE WASHINGTON POST, Dec. 7, 1997

2001

The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect from observations is not likely for a decade or more.

- IPCC, 1990

The balance of evidence suggests a discernable human influence on global climate.

- IPCC, 1995

There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.

- IPCC, 2001

2001

April 9,

2001

1987 2001

U.S. Sees Problems in Climate Change: Report, a Shift for Bush, Says Nation Will Need to AdaptNEW YORK TIMES, June 8, 2002

What do these headlines communicate about government response to global warming in 2002 and

2003?

Senate Committee Approves Bill Mandating Big Cute in EmissionsNEW YORK TIMES, June 28, 2002

State Officials Ask Bush to Act on Global WarmingNEW YORK TIMES, July 17, 2002

McCain and Lieberman Offer Bill to Require Cuts in GasesNEW YORK TIMES, Jan. 9, 2003

Panel of Experts Faults Bush Plan to Study ClimateNEW YORK TIMES, Feb. 26, 2003

The Warming is Global but the Legislation, in the U.S., Is All LocalNEW YORK TIMES, June 28, 2002

2004

2004

Oct. 3,

2005

2006

Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely (greater than 90% probability) due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations

- IPCC, 2007

The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect from observations is not likely for a decade or more.

- IPCC, 1990

The balance of evidence suggests a discernable human influence on global climate.

- IPCC 1995,

There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.

- IPCC, 2001

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.

- IPCC, 2007

Washington Post-ABC News Poll

December 13, 2009

Question: Do you think most scientists agree with one another about whether or not global warming is happening, or do you think there is a lot of disagreement among scientists on this issue? Most scientists agree ___%

There is a lot of disagreement ___%among scientists

35

64

Public Remains Split on Response to WarmingApril 27, 2007

What significant trends or developments appear in these

New York Times headlines from 2007 to 2010?

Gore Shares Peace Prize for Climate Change WorkOct. 13, 2007

Melting Pace of Glaciers is Accelerating, Report Says March 20, 2008

Survey Shows Gap Between Scientists and the PublicJuly 10, 2009

Obama Aide Concedes Climate Law Must WaitOct. 3, 2009

In Face of Skeptics, Experts Affirm Climate PerilDec. 7, 2009

Global and Local Concerns Meet in ‘Hopenhagen’Dec. 11, 2009

China Insists That Its Steps on Climate Be VoluntaryJan. 30, 2010

What criticisms of the Copenhagen Summit and leadership on global

warming are reflected in these editorial cartoons?

What trends or developments do you see reflected in these magazine covers?

2004

2005

2006

2006

2006

2007

2007

2008

2008

2010

What trends or developments do you see reflected in these magazine covers?

Is there solid evidence the earth is warming?(Pew Center)

YES: April 2008 – 71% October 2009 – 57% ----------------------------

How serious a problem is global warming?(Pew Center)

VERY SERIOUS: January 2007 – 44% October 2009 – 35% ----------------------------

Global warming is a very serious problem and should be one of the highest priorities for government leaders.

(CBS/New York Times)

AGREE: April 2007 – 52% December 2009 – 37%

----------------------------The seriousness of global warming is generally exaggerated.

(Gallup)

AGREE: March 2006 – 30% March 2009 – 41%

What changes do you see in public opinion on global warming?

What do you notice about public opinion and political affiliation?

----------------------------

Do you believe in global warming? (Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll, Dec. 2007)

YES: Democrats – 83% Republicans – 46%

----------------------------Global warming is exaggerated. (Gallup, March 2009)

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What have you learned from this history about the science, politics,

and media representation of

global warming?

What are the ways that you can seek more informed truths

when evaluating scientific claims made in the media?

Identify scientific credibility through asking:

o what degree has the science been peer-reviewed?

ow many of scientists/studies have corroborated the information?

s the source credible? What are its (his/her/their) biases?

How do my own biases influence my response to this information?

Think critically about any media message by asking:

Who produced and who sponsored this message?

What is the purpose of this message and who is the target audience?

What ideas, information, and perspectives are communicated?

What has been left out that may be important to know?

How credible, current, and accurate is the information?

Who might benefit and who might be harmed by this message?

How do my own biases influence my understanding of this message?

What are your views?

Is global warming happening?

Is it caused by humans?

How serious a threat is it?

What should we do about it?