Lefty News Rag Falsely Claims Antarctica A ‘Bellwether’ For Climate Change
WRITTEN BY ANTHONY WATTS ON AUG 17, 2023. POSTED IN LATEST NEWS
WRITTEN BY ANTHONY WATTS ON AUG 17, 2023. POSTED IN LATEST NEWS
Lefty News Rag Falsely Claims Antarctica A ‘Bellwether’ For Climate Change
The headline of the August 14 article in THE WEEK, distributed by MSN News, was “How Antarctica has become the enduring climate change bellwether.”
The claim is false, being based not on peer-reviewed science or real-world data, but rather it reflects nothing more than the opinion of the author. [emphasis, links added]
Actual data refutes the claimed connections between climate change and what is occurring in Antarctica this year.
First, let’s look at some of the false claims in the article:
Antarctica’s climate change issues were recently highlighted by a new study from the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science. The study, co-authored by experts from the University of Exeter, the British Antarctic Survey, the University of Johannesburg and others, concluded that it’s “virtually certain that future Antarctic extreme events will be more pronounced than those observed to date” unless steps are taken to abate climate change.
…
One of the biggest issues in Antarctica is undoubtedly the rapid melting of its ice. It was recently reported that sheets of Antarctic ice are melting three times as fast as they did 30 years ago. Sea ice levels hit a record-low in 2017, and “the four lowest annual minimum sea ice extents of the satellite era have occurred since, with both 2022 and 2023 setting new records,” the study said.
The “…new study from the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science.” cited by Justin Klawans of THE WEEK isn’t scientific research, it’s an opinion piece, nothing more than a compendium of other research, combined with opinions about the other research.
Opinion is not science. The title itself, “Antarctic extreme events”, is a dead giveaway, but the “Publisher’s note”, which distances itself from the study, says all you really need to know about it:
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
This is the kind of disclaimer for opinion pieces or sales pitches, not scientific research.
Second, it should be noted that the reporter Justin Klawans referenced yet another THE WEEK article, known as a “Speed Read” for his claims, rather than doing original research himself.
And the article he referenced, seen in a screencap below, was chock full of inaccuracies itself.