[✔️] December 12, 2021 - Daily Global Warming News Digest

👀 Richard Pauli richard at theclimate.vote
Sun Dec 12 10:12:11 EST 2021 

/*December 12, 2021*/

/[ Reuters reports hard news with 90 second video ]/
*At least 100 feared killed by Kentucky tornadoes*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nrJYaU3jYk/
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/[  Artificial Intelligence tools enter the disinformation battleground ]/
*New artificial intelligence tool detects most common climate falsehoods*
Climate misinformation online is mostly delivered through attacks on 
climate scientists and solutions, a study finds..
- -
And Kotcher said it is safe to say climate misinformation is playing a 
part in the differences of opinion. But not all climate misinformation 
is the same or is disseminated in the same quantity, the recent study 
showed.

Using the machine-learning algorithm, Cook and his colleagues conducted 
the largest content analysis of climate contrarian claims to date. The 
team analyzed more than 250,000 documents from 1998 to 2020 from 20 
highly visited, mostly U.S.-based conservative think tanks and 33 
central contrarian blogs — outlets the study called “key cogs in the 
so-called climate change ‘denial machine.’ ”

The team found that in recent years, contrarian outlets mainly countered 
climate information pertaining to science/scientists and solutions.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/YWIZGGTMHVHHTIC2LXWJCWXVYU.jpg&w=916
The graphs show the prevalence of claims by conservative think tanks 
(CTTs) and contrarian blogs from 515,005 claim-making paragraphs. (Coan, 
T. G., et al., 2021)...
- -
For instance, some may say the science is unreliable and there is no 
consensus, even though 99.9 percent of scientists agree that human 
activity is altering our climate. Others may say the movement is 
unreliable — environmentalists and media are alarmists; and climate 
scientists are biased, incompetent or lying. For solutions, common 
claims were that climate policies are harmful and clean energy won’t work.
- -
The results were surprising to Cook, who has spent the past 15 years 
addressing science myths — it’s not happening, it’s not us and it’s not 
real. His previous research focused on how to counter misinformation 
about the greenhouse effect or the carbon cycle. While those may have 
been more common targets for contrarian outlets in the early 2000s, the 
focus has shifted.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/12/09/climate-change-study-misinformation/

- -

/[  See the research paper ]/
16 November 2021
*Computer-assisted classification of contrarian claims about climate change*
Travis G. Coan, Constantine Boussalis, John Cook & Mirjam O. Nanko
Scientific Reports volume 11, Article number: 22320

    Abstract
    A growing body of scholarship investigates the role of
    misinformation in shaping the debate on climate change. Our research
    builds on and extends this literature by (1) developing and
    validating a comprehensive taxonomy of climate contrarianism, (2)
    conducting the largest content analysis to date on contrarian
    claims, (3) developing a computational model to accurately classify
    specific claims, and (4) drawing on an extensive corpus from
    conservative think-tank (CTTs) websites and contrarian blogs to
    construct a detailed history of claims over the past 20 years. Our
    study finds that the claims utilized by CTTs and contrarian blogs
    have focused on attacking the integrity of climate science and
    scientists and, increasingly, has challenged climate policy and
    renewable energy. We further demonstrate the utility of our approach
    by exploring the influence of corporate and foundation funding on
    the production and dissemination of specific contrarian claims.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-01714-4

- -

/[  important survey  ]/
*More than half of young people surveyed think ‘humanity is doomed’ due 
to climate change*
Last Updated: Dec. 11, 2021
By Rachel Koning Beals

Three-quarters of respondents under age 25 said they believe ‘the future 
is frightening’ in Lancet-published global survey
Global citizens under the age of 25 roundly believe that governments are 
letting them down when it comes to an aggressive handling of global 
warming and dangerous weather — and they’re fed up with being told to 
meditate to cope.

Nearly 60% of young people surveyed said they were “very” or “extremely” 
worried about climate change, and 45% said their feelings about climate 
change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, according 
to a study published Thursday in the science journal The Lancet 
Planetary Health.
- -
“Society tells me that this anxiety is an irrational fear that needs to 
be overcome — one that meditation and healthy coping mechanisms will 
‘fix,’” Tan said. “But that erases the accountability from those who are 
directly causing this fear. At its root, our climate anxiety comes from 
this deep-set feeling of betrayal because of government inaction. To 
truly address our growing climate anxiety, we need justice.”

Nearly two-thirds of young people said their governments were not doing 
enough to avoid a climate catastrophe, and 58% felt governments were 
“betraying me and/or future generations.”
Three-quarters of respondents said they believe “the future is 
frightening,” and 56% felt “humanity is doomed.”...
- -
A separate study out earlier this year showed that four in 10 young 
people said they were reluctant to have their own children because of 
the impact of unchecked climate change, which has been found to 
aggravate typical natural disasters, erode coasts, kill crops, bring on 
respiratory issues and more.

“Our children’s anxiety is a completely rational reaction given the 
inadequate responses to climate change they are seeing from 
governments,” Caroline Hickman of the University of Bath said in a 
release. “What more do governments need to hear to take action?”
- -
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/more-than-half-of-young-people-surveyed-think-humanity-is-doomed-due-to-climate-change-11639160312

- -

/[ review th//e academic work ]/
*Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about 
government responses to climate change: a global survey*
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519621002783/pdfft?md5=6a3e8911a510f83424e21f5b8d51871e&pid=1-s2.0-S2542519621002783-main.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519621002783

- -

/[  John Cook's award-winning website - https://skepticalscience.com  ]/
*Explaining climate change science & rebutting global warming 
misinformation*
Global warming is real and human-caused. It is leading to large-scale 
climate change. Under the guise of climate "skepticism", the public is 
bombarded with misinformation that casts doubt on the reality of 
human-caused global warming. This website gets skeptical about global 
warming "skepticism".

Our mission is simple: debunk climate misinformation by presenting 
peer-reviewed science and explaining the techniques of science denial.
https://skepticalscience.com/



/[   We ignore the crashing present, instead view the future    ] /
*Talking (and Not Talking) About the Climate Emergency With My Kids*
“Minimum Viable Planet” is a weeklyish commentary about climateish 
stuff, and how to keep it together in a world gone mad. This week, how 
to talk to kids about climate change.
BY SARAH LAZAROVIC - - DEC 8, 2021
My kids know my day job is in climate. I mean, I wear a giant button 
that says “Talk Climate to Me,” and I mutter about wetlands under my 
breath while buttering their toast.

At the same time, I try not to talk about the climate crisis too much. I 
don’t want it to pervade their every moment, their already restricted 
childhoods.

But I know they’re smart enough to figure things out.

And their emotional intelligence is so keen.

Which is why I try to talk less about my emotions and more about what 
we’re doing.

I try to explain what’s happening in easy-to-understand language and 
contextualize how the world needs to change.

I answer straightforwardly when they ask me the tough questions, but I 
try to highlight the pathways to a positive outcome, which are real.

I want them to be able to fight the doomer nihilism that they’ll soon 
encounter. This crisis is both unfathomably challenging and eminently 
mitigable.

I learn a ton from them, too. I’m constantly surprised by their clarity 
when it comes to injustice. We’ve learned about corporate union busting 
and the overreach and barbarity of U.S. Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement from watching Superstore. I’m so jaded it didn’t shock me. 
But my kids brought their fresh-eye game.

I want them to have enough understanding to feel strong and take action 
where they can, but I don’t want to be a climate stage mom, overwhelming 
them with my own goals and actions. I want them to be kids, unencumbered 
by weight that should not be theirs to shoulder.

And I want them to love this one precious Earth, to have compassion and 
empathy for those suffering all over the world, so they’re motivated to 
protect every bit of it that they can.

It’s tough, there’s hope, let’s do this.

Your kids probably already know more than you think. It’s important to 
find out where they’re at and educate accordingly. Make sure to gauge 
for overwhelm. Writes Emma Pattee in Wired:

“Starting around 8 is when the larger perspective of climate change and 
its implications are beginning to be understood, and the feelings begin 
to arise,” [therapist Leslie Davenport] says. So before you start 
talking, ask what your kids already know. This is also a time to start 
naming feelings and practicing emotional resilience. Davenport points 
out that while it’s normal to feel big emotions when you learn about the 
world being in crisis, kids are not equipped to process those feelings. 
“They are left in a sense of overwhelm, which can upend just about every 
aspect of life,” she explains. Davenport’s book suggests “toggling,” or 
learning to go back and forth between distressing climate news and tools 
for self-regulating emotional reactions. “These are essential life 
skills required to successfully navigate a world with clear-minded and 
empathic action, especially as challenges escalate due to climate 
change.” This is also an age group where kids get really interested in 
making a difference and taking action, so finding ways to work with your 
child on climate action can be empowering and connecting for both of 
you. [Author Mary DeMocker] points out that there is a big range of ways 
kids can make a difference. The more introverted ones, for example, may 
not be as comfortable in a political arena but might want to contribute 
their gifts in another way, through art, writing, or being part of a 
kid-led effort like the 1 trillion trees campaign.
https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2021/12/08/climate-change-kids-2?fbclid=IwAR39eB1_ZaieKkRys8o_6rE_dcijE24FkAJcJ9HtMvbU9vBgIuoG0UkqhE0

- -

/[  Six steps easy language   ]/
*How to talk with kids about climate change*
Experts say it’s important to help your children understand climate 
change and to support them as they cope with emotions.
by DAISY SIMMONS  - -  AUGUST 12, 2020
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/08/how-to-talk-with-kids-about-climate-change/

- -

/[ ideas.TED.com - 2 videos  ] /
*How to talk honestly to kids about climate change — and still give them 
hope*
May 6, 2021 / Katharine Hayhoe PhD + Rosimar Rios-Berrios PhD
https://ideas.ted.com/tips-on-how-to-talk-to-kids-about-climate-change/

- -

/[  features psychotherapist Ariella Cook-Shonkoff  ]/
*Here’s how to talk with your kids about climate anxiety*
Many parents unintentionally shut down their kids' climate fears. A 
psychotherapist explains how to break the cycle.
https://grist.org/climate/parent-therapist-how-to-talk-about-climate-change-anxiety-with-kids/

- -

/[   text and audio from NPR  ] /
*How to talk to kids about climate change*
October 24, 2019
Anya Kamanetz
- -
DeMocker says parents have a tricky role to play as young activists step 
up. "We have to partner with them and we have to not abandon them in 
this crisis and we have to step back at the same time and let them lead."
She compares the balance to parents' job when children are younger and 
first finding independence.

"So it's this funny dance, which is a lot of what parenting is — whether 
you have a toddler who wants to put on her shoes herself and then 
whoops! she trips. So now she actually just needs to be a little kid 
again and be comforted."

When I think about the options available to me as a mother in 2019 
trying to cope with a global crisis while also paying my mortgage and 
packing lunches, I don't see "hope" as a landing place or a single 
destination. I see myself facing the facts, taking action, and offering 
comfort when I feel stronger, and taking breaks, reaching out for 
support, and looking to others to carry on when I get tired. It's all a 
cycle, or in DeMocker's words, a dance.
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/22/772266241/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-climate-change




/[  We are taunting reality with this stunningly big steel box boldly 
set atop a hill in a wide open area -- pay no attention to the the 
electrical storms -- I give it 5 years before lightning and rust rips it 
apart -- it's even called a beta version ]
/*Earth Is Getting a ‘Black Box’ to Hold Humans Accountable for Climate 
Change*
When a plane crashes, its flight recorder is critical to piecing 
together the missteps that led to calamity. Now the planet is getting 
its own in case it self-destructs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/world/australia/earth-black-box-climate-change.html#commentsContainer


/[The news archive - looking back -  full document still available]/
*On this day in the history of global warming December  12, 2007*

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform releases the 
report "Political Interference with Climate Change Science under the 
Bush Administration."

http://mark-bowen.com/images/downloads/house_oversight_committee-rept_1207.pdf 



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