The Economist A report titled “Wildfires Becoming More Frequent and Destructive” was published. From the title (subtitled “Climate change is accelerating the fire”) to the conclusion of the story, this is wrong. [emphasis, links added]
The data clearly shows that even if the Earth warms slightly, The frequency and severity of wildfires have dropped significantly, a fact even the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) acknowledges.
In a story, attributed to The Economist The magazine writes, collectively referred to as its “employees,” “[w]Wildfires are more than just a powerful visual metaphor for climate change. Data shows this is increasingly exacerbated by extreme conditions caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
This is simply wrong.
as climate realism As pointed out in dozens of articles, Data from both NASA and the European Space Agency show significant declines in the number and size of wildfires During the recent period of mild warming, as discussed in Climate Overview: Global Wildfires. (see picture below)
Rather than citing real-world data to prove wildfires are increasing, The Economist cited a recent series of large wildfire events that have been widely reported around the world and attributed them to climate change, without providing any evidence of such a link.
None of the wildfires they cited provide persuasive evidence that climate change is exacerbating or enhancing wildfires, rather than their number or intensity.
climate realism Provides evidence refuting claims climate change is causing Australian bush fires The Economist For example, here and here.
The EconomistFor example, more than a year ago, Climate Realist magazine repeatedly debunked the idea that climate change was causing recent fires in Canada, for example here and here .
There is also no evidence to support the claim that human carbon dioxide emissions have anything to do with the wildfires in recent years in California, Greece or Texas.
The Economist Citing a 2022 study, climate change is causing the global fire season to expand. However, This so-called expansion is not reflected in actual data on wildfire frequency and size.
If wildfire season expands, this would obviously also be news to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which, as discussed in this article, has found no evidence of an increase in wildfire weather in recent decades; The IPCC also did not predict such growth in the future in its most recent (sixth) assessment reportwhich will be released in 2023, one year after the 2022 report The Economist References have been published.
In the end, whatever the merits The Economist As a news magazine that discusses factors affecting the global economy and the actions of businesses and governments that influence economic growth or recession, It lacks any credibility regarding climate science and the consequences of climate change.
Its editors have abandoned objectivity and failed to obtain easily gleaned, prosaic facts about wildfires to promote the false narrative that humankind’s use of fossil fuels is causing the global climate crisis.
Therefore, on the issue of climate change, The Economist Mislead readers and cause harm to them.
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