News Brief by Kip Hansen — 19 June 2024
Covering Climate Now [CCNow], the Columbia University-based climate propaganda outfit, which claims the ability to reach over 2 billion people worldwide with its ready-to-use, ready-to-share and content-directed climate alarm stories, is ramping up and issuing directives to climate journalists around the world.
Here are the main points that they insist that journalist around the world make in each and every story about Summer.
“Reporting Guidance: 2024’s Extreme Heat
Climate change is making extreme heat more frequent and more severe. Here are resources, sample copy, and tips to help you meet the moment.”
Now, I am a climate journalist myself and I admit that I am not entirely sure exactly what they mean by “tips to help you meet the moment”, nonetheless, I will share those tips with readers here. Why? So that when you see them repeated in your local newspapers, hear them on the radio, or watch some TV weatherman rattle them off, you’ll know the true source of the exaggerated statements and general misinformation.
Tip 1, quoting: “It’s already been a record hot year, and dangerous heat is forecast to continue in many countries around the world. Deadly heatwaves across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Mexico so far this year have been linked to climate change. And climate change has made the extreme heat expected across much of the US this week four times more likely.”
The cute “four times more likely” comes from another “independent” climate propaganda outfit, Climate Central: “Intense, persistent heat wave across Midwestern and Eastern U.S. influenced by climate change”.
“The Climate Blame Game: Are We Really Causing Extreme Weather?” by William M Briggs [Note 25, The Global Warming Policy Foundation, .pdf] exposes the statistical shenanigans used to produce such non-scientific pronouncements.
The go-along-to-get-along climate journalists must use the above because: “Now more than ever, journalists have to help audiences understand its climate connection: Climate change is making the planet hotter; climate change is caused mainly by burning oil, gas, and coal; therefore, temperatures will keep going up until oil, gas, and coal are phased out.”
That’s right, journalists, don’t let your readers think that it is hot because it is summer. That’s just so old-fashioned ….
Tip 2: Use the following:
“Connect extreme heat to climate change and fossil fuels. Adding a few words to your coverage is all it takes to make these connections. Here’s some sample language you can use:
Scientists agree that climate change drives extreme weather like today’s record-breaking high temperatures.
Heatwaves like this one are now more common and more intense as a result of human-caused climate change.
Climate change is mostly caused by burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, warming Earth.”
Tip 3:
“Share safety information. People with disabilities, older adults, children, pregnant people, unhoused people, incarcerated people, and outdoor workers are some of the groups most vulnerable to extreme heat. When reporting on extreme heat, help audiences by sharing safety tips.”
And sharing safety tips for hot summer days is important but using them as part of a propaganda message with the intention of scaring people instead of informing people is a nasty business.
Tip 4:
Choose visuals carefully. While it may be tempting to make light of heat by using “fun in the sun” photos, such as people eating ice cream or crowded pools, it’s more accurate to use images that reflect the seriousness of the situation. Opt for photos that show people struggling with heat (like crowded cooling centers or workers struggling under heat conditions) or signage warning of high temperatures. You can see some examples here.
The helpful ‘examples’ link leads to this Getty Images collaboration page a collaboration collection helpfully provided by “Covering Climate Now, last edited 16 hours ago” [note: diligently kept up to date by some Junior Climate Warrior – kh] “Extreme heat is the most obvious consequence of climate change. Journalists have to help audiences understand its climate connection.“
Tip 5: Oh, and don’t forget to use the free data and images from the independent “climate scientists” at Climate Central:
“Use Climate Central’s reporting tools. The scientists at Climate Central have an attribution tool called Climate Shift Index that journalists around the world can use to help audiences understand how much more likely climate change is making extreme heat episodes. Enter your city to find out how much climate change is influencing temperature there on a particular day. For US reporters, see Climate Central’s 2024 Summer Package with customizable graphics (available in English and Spanish).”
I just know you are dying for that link, aren’t you? Here it is
Climate Central’s 2024 Summer Package
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Author’s Comment:
Don’t say I didn’t warn you. They will be pumping this junk out all summer – telling us that summers are hot.
We already know that. If you can tell the difference between a 90°F day and a 91°F day without a thermometer, or without a “climate journalist” to tell you that that “one more degree” is caused by driving your classic ’55 Chevy to the summer car show, you are a better person than I.
They are collaborating, they are conspiring — both in the open and behind closed doors — and they are will say anything they think the public will swallow.
Thanks for reading.
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