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Advocacy Journalism Finds Global Warming Caused Australian Bushfires

by | 27th, October 2013

THE bushfires in Australia were caused by military ordnance. So. Here’s Bryan Walsh in Time magazine:

Climate Change Affects Australia’s Epic Wildfires — No Matter What Prime Minister Says

He goes on:

The blazes that burned in southeastern Australia this past week may not go down in history — just one death has so far been reported, which is a testament to the bravery of the country’s firefighters and the experience that most Australians have in dealing with fires. But the wildfires did manage to burn more than 121,000 hectares, and the smoke blackened the skies of Sydney, Australia’s largest city, while damage is set to exceed $100 million. The fires also came unusually early — October is still the springtime in Australia, though the state of New South Wales in southwestern Australia experienced its hottest September on record, on the heels of the country’s warmest 12-month period on record as well. Springtime or no, the region was primed to burn.

First up, Walsh’s subs eventually correct the error. New South Wales is in Southwestern Australia.

The World Meteorological Organization has not established a direct link between this wildfire and climate change…

No.

— yet.

This is advocacy journalism. You make a statement and then find ways to back it up. Those involved decide global warming caused the bushfire. Unsurprisingly, their work then seeks to confirm this prejudice. The mere presnce of gloablw arming does not mean global warming is responsible.

 



Posted: 27th, October 2013 | In: Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink