Climate change occurring naturally and humans negatively impacting it are not mutually exclusive. I genuinely don’t understand why that distinction is so difficult for some people.
Yes, Earth’s climate has always changed naturally. Congratulations, we’ve established elementary-level Earth science. The issue is that human activity has significantly accelerated the current warming trend. We burn fossil fuels, release massive amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, clear forests that absorb CO2, and add further emissions through agriculture and industry. Greenhouse gases trap heat. We’ve increased their concentration, so more heat is being retained. This really isn’t a complicated concept.
Saying “the climate changed before humans” doesn’t disprove human-caused warming any more than saying forest fires existed before humans proves people can’t start forest fires. Natural causes can exist alongside human causes. The fact that this apparently needs to be explained to adults is honestly more concerning than the argument itself.
