Since the deniersphere is still salivating over the David Rose NOAA-thing burger, we thought this might be a good time for just a little reflection. The perfect piece for this comes thanks to Stefan Rahmstorf at Real Climate, who talks about how the issues that have roiled the mainstream media recently, from fake news to alternative facts to hacked emails, are “old hat” for climate scientists and their supporters.
And of course, he’s right. We went through the email hack scandal with the original Climategate. We see fake news constantly (fun fact: Wikipedia just banned the Daily Mail as an unreliable source) and are all-too-familiar with elected officials quoting alternative facts (looking at you, Lamar “I’m going to pretend like Bates said the Karl study was fudged” Smith).
Rahmstorf helpfully ends his piece with some things to watch out for, as well as some tips: don’t ignore or normalize fake news. Do remember to check your sources, provide citations, and of course explain the industry backing of those who propagate many alternative facts. We have a few more to add, if you’d indulge us.
For those wondering about the difference between the “soft” climate denial rolled out by Trump’s cabinet picks and the classic, run-of-the-mill denial, the answer is: there is no difference. Ultimately, both are excuses for inaction. And, more importantly, both are totally wrong. We know climate change is real and human-caused.
That’s the simple stuff. But for those reporters who are now looking at four years of covering what used to be extremist fringe views, like climate change denial, things are a little more complicated. How do you accurately cover alternative facts without inadvertently reinforcing the myths? There are some easy things to do, like providing context and explanations, but there’s more to keep in mind when interviewing a denier.
And finally, since we know deniers are big fans of recycling the same old arguments, here’s a handy top 10 list of denier myths, debunked.
As always, we’ll keep watching the fake news to keep you apprised of new developments. We’re hoping that with these resources you feel well-armed, so get out there and start Putin up a good fight against fake news!