With the recent climate change agreement in Paris, we provide here a recap of false and misleading claims about climate change that we have fact-checked in recent years.
Climate Change Review
SciCheck
FactCheck.org’s SciCheck feature focuses exclusively on false and misleading scientific claims that are made by partisans to influence public policy. It was launched in January 2015 with a grant from the Stanton Foundation. The foundation was founded by the late Frank Stanton, president of CBS for 25 years, from 1946 to 1971.
Ethanol: Higher Emissions or Lower?
In dueling TV ads, foes of the federal ethanol mandate claim that it “doubles greenhouse gas emissions,” while the ethanol lobby says that “the oil industry is lying” and the mandate will lead to lower emissions.
Sanders on Climate Link to Terrorism
Sen. Bernie Sanders went too far with his debate claim that “climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism.”
DEA Chief Wrong on Medical Marijuana
The acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration claimed that smoking marijuana has “never been shown to be safe or effective as a medicine.” That’s false: though information is limited on the topic, several studies have found smoked marijuana has medical benefits and mostly mild side effects.
Smith Misfires on Climate Science
The chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has made several inaccurate or misleading claims about climate science in an ongoing battle with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Clinton Off on Late-Term Abortions
Hillary Clinton said that late-term abortions “are because of medical necessity.” There is little research on the subject, but existing data do not support her claim.
Carson Rewrites Laws of Thermodynamics
Ben Carson claimed that prevailing theories of how the universe began and how planets and stars formed violate the second law of thermodynamics. His comments represent a misunderstanding of scientific concepts.
Palin Off on Glaciers and Global Warming
Sarah Palin says man isn’t to blame for climate change, citing the fact that some glaciers in Alaska are expanding. But an individual glacier’s growth does not disprove the existence or causes of global warming. The vast majority of glaciers are losing ice rapidly.
Santorum’s Climate Consensus Claims
Rick Santorum made two false claims regarding the scientific consensus on climate change in an interview with HBO’s Bill Maher.
Fiorina’s Fuzzy Vaccine Claims
Carly Fiorina said some unnamed vaccine-preventable diseases are “not communicable” and “not contagious.” Every immunization recommended by the CDC covers a highly communicable disease.