Environmental skepticism runs counter to the often alarming claims of environmentalists that people are irreversibly damaging the environment. Some environmental skeptics believe that human damage to the environment is minimal or unimportant in its likely consequences, while others believe that any damage will be fixed by yet-to-be invented technology. There are few skeptics who believe that human activites has not caused any environmental damage, and the idea is more often opposed to specific environmentalist claims.
Skeptics use statistical analysis to evaluate concerns such as:
- asbestos fibers in building insulation (which may cause cancer)
- reductions in the strength of the ozone layer (which would allow more ultraviolet light to reach the earth's surface and increase the risk of skin cancer)
- global warming
