My answers to some climate change sceptic beliefs:

1. Global warming is a con. The Earth naturally goes through cycles of warming. 

Reply: Ok, you think all the scientists are lying fine, but why would you take a gamble on it? Why not switch to cleaner sustainable energy? It would help reduce pollution and improve our health. Give me one good reason why you wouldn’t want that. 

2. It’s just a nice summers day FFS, stop scaremongering. 

Reply: you’re confusing the weather with the climate. Weather = short-term changes. Climate = long-term changes over months or years. A few isolated nice bits of weather aren’t a cause for concern. That’s not what scientists are worried about.

3. There’s no need to cut CO2 emissions, it isn’t linked to climate change.

Reply: Pollution causes lung disorders. Why would you want a polluted atmosphere when there’s cleaner alternatives? Don’t do it for the planet then, do it for public health. 

The Lancet: WHO estimates that more than 90% of people globally breathe unhealthy air, mostly from the burning of fossil fuels; which translates into health and economic costs of US$8 billion per day.

4. Renewable energy is a scam for green energy companies to make money. 

Reply: how much in subsidies do you think oil companies get? (Around 7 trillion by one estimate)

5. The ice caps aren’t melting. Sea levels aren’t rising.

Reply: Actual scientists who measure it for a living, disagree with the bloke on Facebook. Evidence says it is, and it’s getting worse. 

(Floating ice bergs don’t raise sea levels when they melt, it is land ice melting that’s the problem.)