Climate Change Denial and the Media
analytical Essay
1512 words
"The pace of global warming is accelerating and the scale of the impact is devastating. The time for action is limited - we are approaching a tipping point beyond which the opportunity to reverse the damage of CO2 emissions will disappear." -- Eliot Spitzer "Global warming isn't a prediction. It is happening." -- James Hansen Climate change, specifically in reference to C02 Emissions released by human use of fossil fuels and their consequential effects on the environment, is perhaps one of the most pressing issues we, not just as Americans, but as human beings face in our lifetimes. Though it may sound like a sensationalist statement the facts are hard to deny. In May of 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide surpassed 400 parts per million (ESRL Global Monitoring Division News Items). Experts in this field estimate that a “safe level” of atmospheric C02 concentration is around 350 million parts per million (400 Ppm CO2: What It Means). It should also be noted that the last time the Earth had this level of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere was 3 million years ago when it is estimated that sea levels were around 80 feet higher (Prinn).Yet despite these circumstances climate change represents just 1% of all media headlines (Project for Improved Environmental Coverage). Entertainment, which makes for 3% of headlines, received three times the coverage of environmental issues (Project for Improved Environmental Coverage). When the environment does in fact receive such scarce coverage, the issue of climate change is often times covered under a guise of false objectivity. A valid argument can be made that the media has failed the public on the i... ... middle of paper ... ...tical Space Association, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. Kaplan, Joel. Objectivity & Balance: Today’s Best Practices in American Journalism. Publication. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Kovach, Bill, and Tom Rosenstiel. The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. New York: Crown, 2001. Print. Prinn, Ron. “400 Ppm CO2? Add Other GHGs, and It’s Equivalent to 478 Ppm.” Oceans at MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 6 June 2013. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. “Project for Improved Environmental Coverage.” Project for Improved Environmental Coverage. Project for Improved Environmental Coverage, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. Eliot Spitzer Quote http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/global_warming.html#H2fdTgav5l6VVGt8.99 James Hansen Quote http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/global_warming.html#H2fdTgav5l6VVGt8.99
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the pace of global warming is accelerating and the scale of the impact is devastating. the time for action is limited.
- Explains 400 ppm co2: what it means. 350.org, n.d. web.
- Describes the earth system research laboratory global monitoring division news items, 10 may 2013.
- Argues that the media has failed the public on the issue of climate change by framing its legitimacy as subject to a balanced 50/50 debate.
- Explains that the national aeronautical space association published climate change: vital signs of the planet. kovach, bill, and rosenstiel, the elements of journalism.
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- opinionated
- Global Climate Change Technology and Carbon-Cycle Projection Modelsexplanatory essay“Global climate change” is the hippest buzz phrase for radical environmentalists, dutiful scientists, industry heads, and policy-makers alike. Philosophically, it is proof that the environment is humanity’s connective tissue; whether your life’s work is spent tilling a field, manufacturing steel, or conducting conference calls, global climate change affects you. The gravity of this human-environment issue is highlighted in the headlines of the EPA’s “Science and Policy News”: “Researchers See ‘No Doubt’ of Human Influence on Climate,” “Climate Change May Be Greater Threat to Biodiversity than Habitat Loss,” “Largest Arctic Ice Shelf Breaks Up” (http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/NewsandEventsScienceandPolicyNews.html). To ensure the further sustainable progress of humanity, it is critical that we work to understand our relationship to climate and its changes.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that global climate change is the hippest buzz phrase for radical environmentalists, dutiful scientists, industry heads, and policy-makers alike.
- Evaluates global climate change modeling technology, especially the carbon-cycle models imperative for emissions-reduction policy.
- Explains that the climate system is the sum of the gas, heat, and momentum exchanges that take place between all the components of climate.
- Explains that bare-bones definition of climate change refers to variations in climate within different time scales, or to a change in the long-term weather patterns on the planet.
- Explains that the most imminent and worrisome kind of climate change is global warming, which refers to the warming of the earth’s surface as atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases increase.
- Explains that scientists can now offer indisputable evidence that humans are responsible for a large part of the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing global warming.
- Explains how a climate model simulates the effects of key climate processes in response to these changes in greenhouse gases.
- Explains that the physical processes that determine climate are complex and vary; scientists have to simplify them for modeling purposes. the hadley center climate models are mostly three-dimensional, run on cray t3e supercomputers.
- Explains that coupled-atmosphere-ocean models analyze climate variability and rate of change with greenhouse-gas concentrations in the coupled atmosphere and ocean systems.
- Explains that aogcms like the hadcm3 are not only complex, but accurate. scientists struggle to reconcile the predictions of climate models with mathematical uncertainties associated with these predictions.
- Explains that the carbon cycle governs the build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide in response to human emissions, since its concentration is the sum of the amount exchanged in respiration, photosynthesis, and ocean-atmosphere exchange.
- Explains that scientists have an imperative to study the carbon cycle and its responses to changing climate. increased temperatures could mean lower solubility for carbon dioxide, and lower rates of deep water circulation.
- Explains that carbon is exchanged between the atmosphere and land surface by plant photosynthesis and respiration, as well as soil microbe processes.
- Explains how currents and surface biological activity drive the ocean-atmosphere carbon cycle, stating the implications of global warming.
- Explains how scientists model the effect of increased carbon dioxide concentration on the carbon cycle by coupling an oceanic and a terrestrial climate model.
- Explains the results of several aogcm carbon cycle models, including a hadley center model, and the fluxnet project, which records the amount of carbon dioxide stored in soil and plant types.
- Explains that scientists know for certain that human activities are changing the composition of earth’s atmosphere. however, they cannot be entirely confident in their modeled predictions.
- Explains that the ipcc offers three ways for testing model credibility: comparisons against recent past climate change, observed climate variability, and comparison against paleo-climate measurements.
- Concludes that if global climate change technology is to be effective, measures must be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at an international scale.
- Explains that the following list will link you to sites with climate simulations, temperature, precipitation, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gas emissions maps. these images shape current climate change policy and dialogue.
- Cites betts, r.a. et al., contrasting physiological and structural vegetation feedbacks in climate change simulations.
- Cites the hadley center's recent research on climate change science.
- Explains that the ipcc building on new knowledge: improving regional climate assessment. kaiser, j.
- Explains that president bush announces climate change initiatives. 2001. u.s. epa.
- Explains schimel, d.s., and stott, p.a.
2757 wordsRead More - The Scientific Community and Climate Changeexplanatory essayThe scientific community is now virtually certain that humans have contributed significantly to climate change, and that our global activity is leading to further drastic changes in the climate system. While this idea has almost universal consensus, the precise mechanisms and extent of our influence are not as certain. The greatest challenge now is identifying hat is affecting the climate most strongly, and in what ways, as well as how these effects will become more important in the future. This brief discusses some of the anthropogenic processes and products that are having significant impact on climate, as well as the varying levels of certainty surrounding each.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the scientific community is certain that humans contributed significantly to climate change, but the precise mechanisms and extent of our influence are not as certain.
- Explains that the primary human activity contributing to climate perturbation is the emission of fossil fuels.
- Explains that while co2 emissions are highly researched, there are several other greenhouse gases that are also important but less understood.
- Explains that aerosols are fine aggregates of solids or liquids that are released and distributed in the atmosphere. they have both anthropogenic and natural sources.
- Opines that understanding the climate system's drivers is key to survival. greenhouse gases and aerosols are important, but we have yet to draw a complete picture of how they interact with climate and each other.
731 wordsRead More - Climate Change Causes And Solutions Essayanalytical essayThe earth has experienced climate change for the entirety of its existence. For billions of years, this change has occurred at a relatively slow pace, with exceptions being caused by events such as large scale volcanic eruptions. Now, humans are the cause for high rates of climate change and damage to the environment. This is beginning to have damaging effects on not only us, but the world around us, and we are only just started to take action. Efforts to reduce climate change would be more realized if not for the resistance of many due to misconceptions, money, and a reluctance to change. Short- and long-term solutions are being developed by the brightest minds, but they will not work without
In this essay, the author
- Explains that humans are the cause of high rates of climate change and damage to the environment. short- and long-term solutions are being developed by the brightest minds, but they will not work without the support of the majority.
- Explains that climate change is considered an extremely dangerous problem on a global scale due to lack of education.
- Argues that climate change is a real issue, and that the public misunderstands weather events for overall trends in climate.
- Argues that people who deny climate change and its future stem from lack of scientific knowledge and distrust for those who attempt to study and forecast the matter.
- Explains that there are social factors that contribute to the ignorance and lack of action on the topic of climate change.
- Explains that republican politicians, including president donald trump, disregard the problem of climate change with actions such as the removal of the united states from the paris agreement, a treaty designed to encourage nations to curb emissions of greenhouse gases
- Explains that public engagement is a major reason for the situation we are in today.
1551 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Page One: Inside The New York Timesopinionated essayI say this because there were points in which I personally could not really understand what was going on due to my lack of exposure to this problem that American journalism is facing. More specifically, terminology that was used, especially from business standpoints, and the different companies that were involved made it harder to keep up with the issue at hand. However, with a little editing and better explanation of terminology, I think that this film could extend to a wide audience that would include both digital natives and digital immigrants that are experiencing this transition within American news reporting. This paper will examine the difference between old and new journalism and its new standards, “The New York Times Effect” and its 21st century challenges, important qualifications to be a successful journalist, and the future role of journalism within American society.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the documentary, page one: inside the new york times, reveals the true inner mechanics of what modern day new journalists face on a daily basis.
- Analyzes how the two journalists are placed at opposite ends when it comes to old journalism and new journalism.
- Analyzes how the film touches on the "new york times" effect, which is a problem with modernity.
- Opines that today's generation does not take the time to read a newspaper, instead they go to the quickest source they can get access to even though it might not be as accurate and trustworthy.
- Opines that a successful journalist is someone who brings to light pressing issues that unfortunately in today's society fall on the back burner. the american audience needs to stop living in this fantasy world with its head in the clouds.
- Opines that professional journalism will not become obsolete, but with a technological twist. the new york times needs to adapt its website to be more visually appealing and not depend on advertising.
- Opines that it will be a difficult process of adjustment to make the transition successful. the new york times is not out.
1602 wordsRead More - Climate Change and the Media: The Facts and Opinionsanalytical essayThe world we live in is one of innovation and growth. Technology has expanded and grown significantly over the past several decades. At the forefront of this evolution is the media. Over the past several hundred years, the media has seen substantial growth. While print media has been a staple of society for many decades, the internet and other forms of media have revolutionized the way we receive information. These range from social media, to television, to movies, among others. Yet, in regards to climate change, the focus is on television. While much of what people see and hear is accurate and valid, one must recognize the underlying purpose of all media outlets; the media aims to convey a message to attract viewers. For many unfamiliar to academic settings, the media represents the primary source of information. The media can use various techniques such as framing in order to convey their message. By definition, framing is the media’s attempt to draw the public’s attention to certain issues. The media decides the stance they want to take, and then structures it in an attempt to influence the perception of the news. Rather than telling the audience what to think about, it tells the audience how to think about it.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the media has seen substantial growth over the past several hundred years. the media aims to convey a message to attract viewers.
- Explains that climate change is a controversial and complex topic that has not been victorious in the debate it has become. many scientists shy away from the media's attention.
- Explains that at the beginning of the twentieth century, the term climate change merely existed. the lack of coverage can be partially attributed to cultural and psychological factors.
- Explains how climate change became a staple of media coverage in the eighteenth century.
- Explains how media coverage of climate change began to explode in the early twentieth century. keeling studied the interactions between carbon dioxide and temperature.
- Analyzes how climate change and global warming became a political issue in 1988, and how media coverage of the issue has increased.
- Analyzes boykoff's case study of us mass-media coverage of climate change.
- Explains that leiserowitz, a.a. (2005), american risk perceptions: is climate change dangerous?
- Cites boyce, t., lewis, j. and hardaker, p. on the role of the intergovernmental panel on climate change.
- Analyzes robbins, d., and taddicken, monika. the impact of mass media and internet use on knowledge and attitudes.
1147 wordsRead More - Climate Change: The Sciences, the Media, and Politicsanalytical essayThe roles of science, the media, and politics greatly influence public opinion and understanding of the world around us. These three spheres of information and action are invariably linked when discussing complex global issues like climate change. However, the presentation and resolution of disagreement within the three spheres is incredibly independent. The many ways that climate change, specifically the debate on the existence of climate change, is portrayed within these spheres can greatly affect public emotion, knowledge, and policy of such an issue. This is particularly evident in the United States (US) (Boykoff & Boykoff, 2007). This paper attempts to briefly outline the portrayal and settlement of the debate on the existence of climate change within the three spheres of the sciences, the media, and politics.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the roles of science, the media, and politics influence public opinion and understanding of the world around us. the presentation and resolution of disagreement within the three spheres is incredibly independent.
- Explains that the scientific method is a generalized series of steps used to collect data and accept or reject hypotheses.
- Analyzes how the us media misleads the public into thinking that climate change skeptics are scientifically legitimate.
- Explains that the political sphere is heavily influenced by the media, as democratic government is representative of the people. the disconnect between the scientific community and public opinion affects government policy.
- Analyzes how lawrence solomon is a climate change skeptic, arguing that the debate on the cause of global temperatures has been "prematurely" closed.
- Summarizes boykoff, maxwell t., and jules m. (balance as bias: global warming and the us prestige press).
- Explains that bryner, jeanna, "climate change understanding falls along political lines." livescience.com.
- Explains that doran, peter t., and maggie kendall zimmerman, "examining the scientific consensus on climate change."
- Explains that egger, anne e., and anthony carpi, "ideas in science: scientific controversy." visionlearning.com, 2010.
- Cites harris, william, "howstuffworks "limitations of the scientific method".
- Cites seymour's article worries 'u.s., european media' on climate change from the media research center - business & media institute.
- Explains what peer-review means at uvic library, university of victoria.
- Introduces the discovery of global warming. american institute of physics, may 2010.
1463 wordsRead More - Media Coverage of Climate Change & Global Warminganalytical essayBecause decisions can be made by governmental agencies concerning actions that reduce human impact on global warming, individuals have a responsibility to seek out factual information to aid them in voting decisions. This is a challenging endeavor; because much of today’s media coverage concerning human effect on global warming and climate change is vague, uses rhetorical devices, and offers fallacious reasoning, which influence society towards making decisions regardless of factual information. Because of this, it is important for citizens to think critically when evaluating media coverage pertaining to human impact on climate change and global warming.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that advocates claim greenhouse gas levels are increasing due to human activities which significantly affect global warming and climate change.
- Argues that an anti-environmental group paid for a study resulting in modest costs does not prove truth.
- Analyzes riebeek's 2010 nasa feature article "global warming" to conclude that humanity is an influential force impacting earth’s warming climate.
- Cites anderegg, prall, harold, & schneider, s. h. (2010). expert credibility in climate change.
- Explains milfont, t. l., the interplay between knowledge, perceived efficacy, and concern about global warming and climate change: a one-year longitudinal study.
- Explains schuldt, konrath, & schwarz, n. (2011). "global warming" or "climate change?"
- Argues that the critical thinker must be keenly aware of media influences which use rhetorical devices and fallacious reasoning to sway public opinion.
- Argues that human-generated greenhouse gas emissions are too small to substantially change the earth’s climate, and that preventative action will not have a discernible impact.
- Analyzes how breiner's 2013 thinkprogress.org article and infographic "the anti-science climate denier caucus" convinces the audience to vote against political representatives who are more likely to oppose clean energy initiatives.
- Analyzes how breiner exaggerates the gwcc issue to influence the audience to take action.
- Analyzes stossel's 2014 article "let’s chill out about global warming" which claims that global temperatures have always risen, and might be caused by man, but is not a crisis.
- Analyzes krugman's 2014 new york times article "interests, ideology and climate" and concludes that rational action on climate is a toxic mix of ideology and anti-intellectualism.
- Analyzes krugman's argument that carbon reductions have little economic impact, but these reasons are weak due to missing information. the stereotyping term "right-winger" uses rhetorical emotional association.
- Analyzes riebeek's argument that global warming and climate change is natural, but argues that humanity is an influential force influencing gwcc.
1935 wordsRead More - News Coverage on Climate Changeanalytical essayTo proceed with an analysis on news coverage on climate change, with a specific interest on coverage on the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, the original Fifth Assessment Report for Policymakers was first consulted. An analysis of this report will be conducted in order to establish what aspects of this report were embellished, highlighted, obscured, or simply ignored in this comparative analysis between mainstream and alternative news coverage. A brief summary of this report is therefore useful to conduct further analysis on news discourse and framing of this subject.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the original fifth assessment report for policymakers was first consulted to conduct an analysis of news coverage on climate change.
- Explains the purpose of the ipcc's report to inform policymakers on the current trends and concerns of natural and human-caused climate change.
- Defines objective journalism as a professional disposition which strives to represent the news as facts, independent of any personal bias or opinion.
- Analyzes how historical developments had far reaching implications on the increase of objective reporting.
- Compares the use of objective journalistic practice in contemporary journalism between mainstream and alternative media outlets.
- Analyzes how mainstream media examples acknowledged the continual scepticism around climate change, despite the level of certainty shared by the most esteemed scientists.
- Analyzes how the mainstream media framed climate change in a way that suggests that the jury is still out on whether or not it has been conclusively settled.
- Analyzes how borenstein's subheading reads, "95 percent sure is still not certain: skeptics". this analogy frames the following sentence in a very particular way.
- Analyzes how mainstream news coverage on climate change diverted attention from the grave consequences of the continual change in the environment. objective reporting and news frames reiterate the dominant class' interests.
- Explains allan's definition of news frames as a means for journalists to organize information and relay news to emphasize particular aspects of an event.
- Explains that hegemony is a non-coh.. strategy that is adopted by ordinary individuals in society as their own.
1840 wordsRead More - Trager, Robert, J. R. (2010). The Law of Journalism & Mass Communication. Washington D.C.: CQ Press.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that it is important for journalists to have researched cases like new york times and masson to know what is acceptable and not.
- Explains that villiers, m. d. (2008), substantial truth in defamation law.
- Explains that jeffrey masson, a psychoanalyst, was fired after he became disillusioned with freudian psychology. janet malcolm, an author and contributor to new yorker magazine, recorded interviews with him.
- Explains that the common law of libel overlooks minor inaccuracies and relies on substantial truth when deciding defamation cases.
- Opines that while journalists have more freedom since the new york times v. sullivan case, it is important to check the facts and keep things as close as possible.
- Analyzes kinkopf, n. j., and polk, k. m. in masson v. new yorker magazine.
1119 wordsRead More - Hiding the Tilt in the New York Timesanalytical essayThe workers of the New York Times share a mutual understanding of what to write about and how they should go about doing it. According to Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, “The quality of the decisions journalists make from day to day is heavily influenced by editors and the culture of the newsroom” (243). Journalists find the facts but each of the editors and culture ...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that newspapers report both sides of the story but it is difficult to withdraw bias completely. reporters are only human and bring about their own opinions into their work. the new york times tries to hide this unbalanced spectrum.
- Explains that the new york times uses a variety of ways to find information and catch the reader's attention. however, one-sided perspectives can come into play by reporters with or without their knowledge.
- Analyzes how the new york times workers share a mutual understanding of what to write about and how they should go about doing it.
- Analyzes how the new york times and obama's viewpoints are seen in an article titled, "obama effect inspiring few to seek office." this term makes citizens believe there is a major difference between the common people and the people that work for the president.
- Analyzes how the word "hotshots" splits everyone and makes the administration appear like attention-grabbing celebrities. celebrities feel they are higher up and don't like to blend in with the crowd.
- Analyzes how the title has a great influence on what the story is about, including bias hidden inside. on april 10th, an account of obama at the funeral of the three soldiers killed at fort hood, texas.
- Analyzes how the reporter emphasizes that this happening was repeated by the title, "again, obama offers comfort at fort hood after soldiers are killed." the addition of "mr. obama's watch" makes others believe that obama was responsible for this and didn't do anything to stop it.
- Analyzes how the new york times gives hints in their news stories about their dislike for obama and reporters even go as far as blaming him for holding back their journalism ability.
- Explains the conflict journalists have under obama is told by james goodale who was the former chief counsel to the new york times.
- Explains that the new york times looks down upon the president because of the people obama is willing to be interviewed by and who he won't.
- Compares how cbs and the new york times perceive the president. cbs includes more positive aspects toward obama's actions than other programs.
- Opines that it is difficult to end bias and all newspapers choose a side and stick to it. it should be the duty of the journalists to take out as much bias as possible so citizens can have the complete understanding
- Cites armitage, susan, and manny fernandez. "obama offers comfort at fort hood after soldiersare killed."
- Analyzes beaujon, andrew, and rosenstiel tom. the elements of journalism: what newspeople should knowand the public should expect.
1135 wordsRead More