Examples Of Fact Checking Misinformation About Climate Change
1. In the video of Mr. Moore’s presentation, around minute 25 he shows a picture of a skinny polar bear that National Geographic taken in 2017 and labeled “This is what climate change looks like.” Moore went on to say that the main cause of death for polar bears is starvation and that “there are no nursing homes for polar bears” and “it took National Geographic 9 months to slightly own up to the fact that this was malarky.”
Here’s what Chat GPT had to say about the following question…
Was there ever a National Geographic photo of a skinny polar bear that said “this is what climate change looks like” that National Geographic had to later retort as false?
Yes, in 2017, National Geographic published a widely circulated video and photo of an emaciated polar bear, with the caption “This is what climate change looks like.” The footage, captured by photographer Paul Nicklen and the conservation group SeaLegacy, showed a starving polar bear struggling to move on a barren landscape without ice. The video went viral, sparking intense discussions about climate change.
However, National Geographic later acknowledged that the direct connection between the bear’s condition and climate change was speculative. In 2018, the magazine issued a clarification, admitting they had gone “too far” in linking the bear’s starvation explicitly to climate change without concrete evidence. While climate change is a major threat to polar bears due to habitat loss, individual cases of starving bears can also result from disease, old age, or injury.
Despite the correction, the image remains a powerful symbol of the broader risks climate change poses to polar bears and Arctic ecosystems.
2. The very next topic Mr. Moore discusses about polar bears is that their populations have increased 5 to 6 times since an agreement in 1973 to stop hunting them. And while that is true, because they stopped being hunted, some subpopulations that live in the areas with reduced ice cover have declined significantly and the reduced ice cover IS due to climate change.
Here’s what Chat GPT had to say about the following question. Notice nothing in the question for Chat said anything about climate change.
What has happened to polar bear populations over the last 50 years?
Over the last 50 years, polar bear populations have faced significant challenges due to climate change, habitat loss, and human activities. Here’s an overview of key trends:
1. Overall Population Estimates:
- In the 1960s and 1970s, polar bear populations were under significant pressure due to unregulated hunting. Estimates suggested the global population was around 10,000.
- After hunting regulations were introduced through the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, populations rebounded in many areas, with estimates rising to approximately 22,000–31,000 bears today.
2. Effects of Climate Change:
- Over the last few decades, sea ice loss—which polar bears rely on for hunting seals—has accelerated due to global warming.
Some subpopulations, particularly in the Southern Beaufort Sea and Western Hudson Bay, have declined significantly due to reduced ice cover.
Other subpopulations, like those in the High Arctic, have remained relatively stable but are expected to decline if warming continues.
3. Regional Variability:
There are 19 recognized subpopulations of polar bears, and their trends vary:
- Some are declining (e.g., Western Hudson Bay, Southern Beaufort Sea).
- Some are stable (e.g., Davis Strait, Baffin Bay).
- A few might be increasing (though data is limited).
4. Future Concerns:
- Scientists predict that two-thirds of the world’s polar bears could disappear by 2050 if current Arctic warming trends continue.
- The loss of summer sea ice is the biggest threat, as it forces bears onto land, where they struggle to find food.
In summary, while polar bear populations initially rebounded due to conservation efforts, climate change has become their greatest threat, leading to declines in many regions. Their long-term survival depends on mitigating Arctic ice loss.