Ashton Stofford

English 1102
Mia Eaker
April 20, 2014
Round Table: Voices
76% of Americans say they trust climate scientists as a source of information about
global warming. Global Warming is an issue that involves the gradual increase in the Earths
atmospheric conditions and its oceans. The change in temperature is believed to be caused by
the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas. The emissions of these substances
release a compound known as CO
2
which serves as a blanket over the Earth tat traps heat
(Basics). Global warming is considered to be one of the most controversial topics to ever be
discussed in the media. Global warming is so controversial because its effects are so devastating
and people often do not want to know the truth. There has been suspicion that Global Warming
has recently been expressed in a bias manner through the Media. The executive branch of
government, Environmentalist/scientist, and The people all have had some voice concerning
Global Warming, and the way that it is presented within the Media.
A core voice that often speaks of many issues within the environment are scientist and
environmentalist. Scientist and environmentalist are a primary source that the world uses to
receive new findings and innovations to solving the problems of the world. An environmentalist
who has had some major contributions to Global warming and climate changes is Maxwell
Boykoff. Maxwell is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he also
obtained a PH.D in environmental studies. Maxwell as completed a copious amount of research
concerning issues in cultural politics of climate change. Boykoff has focused most of his
attention in the research area that include issues in the cultural politics of climate change which
refers to how the attitudes, intentions, beliefs and behaviors of individuals and groups shape (and
are shaped by) the perceive spectrum of possible action in the context of climate change
(Boykoff). Professor Boykoff has concentrated his research in the media coverage of climate
change in many prospective countries of the world including Japan, Canada, UK, and India.
There are many scientist who often openly express their findings and research to the
media to inform the people. During the Bush administration, after climate change and global
warming had just been accepted by society as a serious problem that could harm the Earth and all
life forms that preside on it, they were accused of silencing those who spoke about the problem,
who warned the world of the repercussions of climate change (shah). Which included some of
the governments leading climate scientist; which in their job description included informing the
public about Global warming in a non-biased way.
Some scientist often have their doubts about their research and whether it supports Global
warming, but who in fact would question a person who lives, sleeps, and breathes science and
the environment. There are a few scientist who absolutely believe that global warming is not and
is only a scandal. In 2009, servers of the University of East Anglia were intercepted (Shah). The
servers contained a numerous amount of emails between climate scientists that proposed that
global warming was not real. It is believed that scientist propose the idea of global warming in
the media as a scare tactic to receive research grants and to fuel their passion of science.
Another voice falls within the executive branch of government. Which includes former
vice president Al gore who served under Bill Clinton form 1993 until 2001. Al Gore has
received numerous awards for his efforts concerning global warming including a Nobel Peace
Prize, and he is also well known environmental activist (Gore). Based off his expertise, and his
popularity; his beliefs concerning global warming and climate change are influential to people
who look towards the media for information. The Inconvenient Truth is a book and academy
award winning documentary that was created by Al Gore. Gore uses the influence of the Media
to inform the relationship between human civilization and the Earth concerning Climate Change
and Global Warming. Al Gores goal is to draw awareness to an issue and present it in a way
that would make people believe his cause. Gore seems to present the issue in a bias way that
only looks at one side of the issue in which people are the main cause for climate change. This is
done to add awareness and gain their support so that they can change their ways and be
influential to other people in which a possible chain reaction may occur.
This category is simply the People. The people include those who look towards the
media for information. These people include those who do not have a degree in engineering,
scientist, environmentalist, or the government. As viewers and readers we do not look beyond
television networks or newspapers to inform ourselves concerning the environment (Talking).
When in fact we should be gravitating towards scholarly journals, blogs, and scientific reports to
gather information about climate change. This gives and open door for the media to present
contradicting topics within the media and make them biased that will skew their beliefs on that
particular topic. The people are unaware that they are presented balanced information. The
information presented is conformed to certain viewers that will believe the material; in which as
some material is smothered and not candid to its viewers (Shah). Viewers also agree that lobby
often cherry pick information only to grab their information instead of informing them of the
actual cause.
In conclusion, Global warming is one of the most controversial issues throughout the
world. Global warming has many voices that speaks on its behalf concerning the media; which
includes the worlds leading scientist, the government, and the people. In order to receive
unbiased information it is our job to turn to different sources for information concerning global
issues. It is my belief that the media only portrays what they would like us to hear to sustain our
attention.























Work Cited
Basics. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014
Cooperative Institute for research in Environmental Science. Maxwell T. Boykoff, CIRES
fellow. N.P., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
Gore, Albert. An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What
We Can Do about It. New York: Rodale, 2006. Print
Shah, Anah. Global Warming, Spin, and Media. Global Issues. February 14, 2007. Web.
March 21, 2014
Talking Climate. Talking Climtate Change Skepticism and The media comments. N.p., n.d.
web. 20 Mar. 2014