Myth: Global warming will be catastrophic

Liberal myth

Global warming will be catastrophic.

The facts

Given that the current upward trend in temperatures is not unprecedented, it stands to reason that minor warming will not lead to unprecedented catastrophes.

Scientific evidence confirms this. According to recent research:

• The planet and its inhabitants are much more resilient to temperature variability than had been previously assumed.
• The warming over the last few decades has not been particularly harmful to humans or the environment.

Virtually all of the alarming rhetoric surrounding global warming is speculative and lies outside the scientific consensus. In fact, several respected economists believe that any likely future warming would have benefits (such as increased crop yields) that outweigh the modest adverse impacts in the U.S.

Related Heritage research

• Ben Lieberman, “Frequently Asked Questions About Global Warming,” March 21, 2007
• Ben Lieberman, “Don’t Rush To Judgment on U.N.’s IPCC Global Warming Summary,” February 7, 2007