Fact check: Is climate change mostly caused by humans?

1. Summary of the results

The overwhelming consensus among the provided analyses is that human activities are the primary cause of climate change ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}. These sources, which include reports from NASA and the EPA, highlight the significant role of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, in contributing to global warming ^{[1] [2] [6] [3]}. The analyses also note that natural processes alone cannot explain the observed warming since the Industrial Revolution ^[3]. A survey of 88,125 climate-related studies found that more than 99.9% of peer-reviewed scientific papers agree that climate change is mainly caused by humans ^[7]. This indicates a strong scientific consensus on the issue, with 97% or more of climate scientists agreeing that human-caused climate change is real and ongoing ^[2].

• Key points from the analyses include:
• Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century ^{[3] [6]}.
• The expansion of the 'greenhouse effect' due to human-made emissions in the atmosphere is a primary driver of global warming ^[6].
• Scientific organizations, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, endorse the position that human activities are the primary cause of climate change ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

While the provided analyses overwhelmingly support the conclusion that human activities are the primary cause of climate change, there is limited discussion of the role of natural climate variability ^[3]. Some sources note that natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions and changes in solar radiation, can also influence the climate, but these factors alone cannot explain the observed warming ^[3]. The potential for uncertainty or debate within the scientific community is not fully explored in the provided analyses, which may give the impression of a more uniform consensus than actually exists ^[7]. Additionally, the analyses do not fully address the complexities of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, which are critical for addressing the impacts of climate change ^{[1] [4]}.

• Alternative viewpoints that could be considered include:
• The perspective of climate change skeptics, who may argue that natural climate variability plays a more significant role in observed warming trends.
• The potential for uncertainty or debate within the scientific community regarding the magnitude or impacts of human-caused climate change.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement "Is climate change mostly caused by humans?" may be too simplistic, as it does not account for the complexity of climate change causes and the potential for natural climate variability ^[3]. The statement may also imply a false dichotomy, suggesting that climate change is either entirely caused by humans or entirely caused by natural factors, when in fact the relationship between human and natural factors is more nuanced ^[3]. The lack of context or nuance in the original statement may lead to misinformation or oversimplification of the issue, which could be misleading for policymakers or the general public ^[7]. The sources cited in the analyses, including NASA and the EPA, benefit from the framing of the original statement, as it highlights the importance of their research and findings on human-caused climate change ^{[1] [2] [6] [3]}.