Thousands of people have used Twitter to explain global warming to President Trump after he appeared to misunderstand the subject in a tweet on Thursday morning.
“Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS – Whatever happened to Global Warming?” wrote the President of the United States, on the same day the World Meteorological Organisation warned greenhouse gases had reached record highs.
Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS – Whatever happened to Global Warming?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2018
His fellow Twitter users ensured he wouldn’t go looking for an answer.
British meteorologist Laura Tobin kindly explained how global warming can lead to weather extremes in some parts of the world.
She tweeted: “Global warming is a warming World.
“This leads to more extreme weather both hot & COLD! One of the coldest #thanksgiving ever recorded in NYC but it’s also [very] warm in the Arctic with no snow in Lapland.
“It’s also the same for very wet & very dry-Just look at the wildfires.”
🤦♀️Global warming is a warming WorldThis leads to more extreme weather both hot & COLD! One of the coldest #thanksgiving ever recorded in NYC but it's also V warm in the Arctic with no #snow in #Lapland.It's also the same for very wet & very dry-Just look at the #wildfires @gmb https://t.co/32EYK2dwsq
— Laura Tobin (@Lauratobin1) November 22, 2018
Lars Boelen, a climate expert from Holland, pointed out the crucial misunderstanding that appeared to be at the core of Mr Trump’s tweet.
“Dear sir, You, once again, confuse weather and climate.
“Greetings, The rest of the world,” he replied, followed by a map showing current world temperatures.
Dear sir,
You, once again, confuse weather and climate,
Greetings,The rest of the world pic.twitter.com/8YKkzfm9Im
— ☀️Lars Boelen 🌍 (@LarsBoelen) November 22, 2018
Writer David Frum sent Mr Trump a string of links to recent reports from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including evidence that Arctic sea ice was the third smallest on record for October 2018, the same month recorded as the second hottest October on record.
.@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/0bgMyu6USQ
— David Frum (@davidfrum) November 22, 2018
Mr Frum also added a tweet from climate scientist Zeke Hausfather debunking similar claims about local weather.
“The next seven days are expected to reach near-record lows in the Northeast US.
“At the same time, they will be quite warm globally, around 1.2C above preindustrial temperatures.
“Resist the temptation to make claims about long-term warming based on short-term localized weather,” read Mr Hausfather’s tweet.
.@realDonaldTrump https://t.co/CFhuSNm0fP
— David Frum (@davidfrum) November 22, 2018
Dr Will Kirby was happy to point out that the difference between local weather and global climates is now taught in third grade, inviting the President to meet his pre-teen son for an explanation.
“My son just presented a report on the difference between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ to his third grade class.
“The distinction between the two is a measure of time.
“I extend a sincere invitation to @realDonaldTrump to contact me so I can arrange to have my son explain it in detail,” he wrote on Twitter.
My son just presented a report on the difference between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ to his third grade class.
The distinction between the two is a measure of time.
I extend a sincere invitation to @realDonaldTrump to contact me so I can arrange to have my son explain it in detail. https://t.co/sZ7oiC9Dks
— Dr. WILL KIRBY (@DrWillKirby) November 22, 2018
Other users applied the same simple logic in Mr Trump’s tweet to other scientific issues.
“Next: if the earth is round, how come people don’t fall of the bottom when they’re upside down? Hoax!” wrote political analyst Jeff Greenfield.
Next: if the earth is round, how come people don't fall of the bottom when they're upside down? Hoax! https://t.co/O7EGQLmOJt
— Jeff Greenfield (@greenfield64) November 22, 2018
And writer Tauriq Moosa tweeted: “If the sun is real where does IT GO at night? Checkmate, athiests [sic].”
If the sun is real where does IT GO at night? Checkmate, athiests https://t.co/o1BIq1uTrM
— Tauriq Moosa (@tauriqmoosa) November 22, 2018
In June 2017, less than six months after his inauguration, Mr Trump announced the US would stop participating in the Paris climate accords, an agreement to address rising global temperatures signed by 195 countries around the world.
WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas said: “The science is clear. Without rapid cuts in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, climate change will have increasingly destructive and irreversible impacts on life on Earth.
“The window of opportunity for action is almost closed.”