The Cool Down
Expert debunks conspiracy theory about origins of global crisis: 'It's establis…
Research debunks harmful lies about a 1991 report by the Club of Rome on the dangers of human-driven threats to the environment.
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Fact Check: Climate Change Not 'Invented' in 1991, Science Dates Back to 1890s
A recent social media video circulated claims that climate change was 'invented' in 1991, misrepresenting a report by the global think tank, the Club of Rome. However, AAP FactCheck has debunked these assertions, clarifying that the scientific understanding of anthropogenic climate change predates the 1990s by decades. The viral video erroneously cited 'The First Global Revolution,' a 1991 report by Alexander King and Bertrand Schneider for the Club of Rome, suggesting it was an admission by elites that climate change was fabricated for global control. A spokesperson for the Club of Rome told AAP FactCheck that this interpretation fundamentally misrepresents the report's content and intended meaning. "Far from suggesting that environmental threats like pollution and climate change are fabricated, the authors are emphasising that these very real dangers stem from human activity," the spokesperson explained. "The passage underscores the need to address not just the symptoms, but the root causes, namely our collective behaviours, values and systems." Experts consulted by AAP FactCheck further corroborated that the science of human-caused climate change was well-established by the mid-1960s. Professor Edwards stated, "Knowledge of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change goes back at least to 1896, with Svante Arrhenius's pioneering study of the effects of increased (and decreased) carbon dioxide on global temperature." He added, "Given its deep scientific and political history, it's incredible to me that anyone could believe climate change was 'made up' in 1991 by the Club of Rome, or in 1988 by the IPCC." This historical context demonstrates that warnings about man-made climate change were prevalent decades before the 1991 report, solidifying that climate change is established science and not a conspiracy.
