The climate system varies both through natural, "internal" processes as well as in response to variations in external "forcing" from both human and non-human causes, including solar activity, volcanic emissions, and greenhouse gases. Climatologists agree that the earth has warmed recently. The detailed causes of this change remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus identifies greenhouse gases as the primary cause of the recent warming. This conclusion can be controversial, especially outside the scientific community.
Adding carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4) to Earth's atmosphere, with no other changes, will make the planet's surface warmer; greenhouse gases create a natural greenhouse effect without which temperatures on Earth would be an estimated 30 °C (54 °F) lower, and the Earth uninhabitable. It is therefore not correct to say that there is a debate between those who "believe in" and "oppose" the theory that adding carbon dioxide or methane to the Earth's atmosphere will, absent any mitigating actions or effects, result in warmer surface temperatures on Earth. Rather, the debate is about what the net effect of the addition of carbon dioxide and methane will be, when allowing for compounding or mitigating factors.
Due to the thermal inertia of the earth's oceans and slow responses of other indirect effects, the Earth's current climate is not in equilibrium with the forcing imposed by increased greenhouse gases. Climate commitment studies indicate that, even if greenhouse gases were stabilized at present day levels, a further warming of perhaps 0.5 °C to 1.0 °C (0.9–1.8 °F) would still occur.
The greenhouse effect is unquestionably real and helps to regulate the temperature of our planet. It is essential for life on Earth and is one of Earth's natural processes. It is the result of heat absorption by certain gases in the atmosphere (called greenhouse gases because they effectively 'trap' heat in the lower atmosphere) and re-radiation downward of some of that heat. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, followed by carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Without a natural greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth would be about zero degrees F (-18°C) instead of its present 57°F (14°C). So, the concern is not with the fact that we have a greenhouse effect, but whether human activities are leading to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect.
Human activity has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mostly carbon dioxide from combustion of coal, oil, and gas; plus a few other trace gases). There is no scientific debate on this point. Pre-industrial levels of carbon dioxide (prior to the start of the Industrial Revolution) were about 280 parts per million by volume (ppmv), and current levels are about 370 ppmv. The concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere today, has not been exceeded in the last 420,000 years, and likely not in the last 20 million years. According to the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES), by the end of the 21st century, we could expect to see carbon dioxide concentrations of anywhere from 490 to 1260 ppm (75-350% above the pre-industrial concentration).
Various alternative hypotheses have been proposed to explain the observed increase in global temperatures, including but not limited to:
•The warming is within the range of natural variation.
•The warming is a consequence of coming out of a prior cool period — the Little Ice Age.
•The warming is a result of variances in solar irradiance.
At present, these have little support within the climate science community as an explanation for recent warming. In an opinion essay in the journal Science, researcher N. Oreskes reported a sampling of the abstracts of 928 articles on climate change, selected using the key phrase "global climate change", from the published peer-reviewed scientific literature. Oreskes found that of the 75% of abstracts that in any way considered the question of attribution, all of them either explicitly or implicitly supported the consensus view that a significant fraction of recent climate change is due to human activities.
2006-08-05 18:28:57
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answer #1
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answered by Monica 3
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No... air conditioning and refrigerators simply transfer heat from one place to another. The net loss/gain theoretically, is 0.
The electricity that powers this process is generated by fossil fuel use. This use produces greenhouse gases that traps the Sun's radiant energy and transforms it to trapped heat.
That's where global warming comes from.
2006-08-06 03:20:55
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answer #2
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answered by hyperhealer3 4
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Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans in recent decades.
Natural Causes
Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth's atmosphere. Another natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. This climate change usually lasts about 40,000 years.
Man-made Causes
Man-made causes probably do the most damage. There are many man-made causes. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution comes in many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO2. Also mining coal and oil allows methane to escape. How does it escape? Methane is naturally in the ground. When coal or oil is mined you have to dig up the earth a little. When you dig up the fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well.
Another major man-made cause of Global Warming is population. More people means more food, and more methods of transportation, right? That means more methane because there will be more burning of fossil fuels, and more agriculture. Now your probably thinking, "Wait a minute, you said agriculture is going to be damaged by Global Warming, but now you're saying agriculture is going to help cause Global Warming?" Well, have you ever been in a barn filled with animals and you smell something terrible? You're smelling methane. Another source of methane is manure. Because more food is needed we have to raise food. Animals like cows are a source of food which means more manure and methane. Another problem with the increasing population is transportation. More people means more cars, and more cars means more pollution. Also, many people have more than one car.
Since CO2 contributes to global warming, the increase in population makes the problem worse because we breathe out CO2. Also, the trees that convert our CO2 to oxygen are being demolished because we're using the land that we cut the trees down from as property for our homes and buildings. We are not replacing the trees (an important part of our eco system), so we are constantly taking advantage of our natural resources and giving nothing back in return.
2006-08-05 19:38:42
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answer #3
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answered by mspentinum 3
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A spelling blunders or a gaff fish guy? Assuming blunders: There are no longer any experimental documents to help the hypothesis that will improve in human hydrocarbon use or in atmospheric carbon dioxide and different greenhouse gases are inflicting or could be expected to reason damaging differences in international temperatures, climate, or panorama. there's no reason to shrink human production of CO2, CH4, and different minor greenhouse gases as has been proposed (eighty two,eighty 3,ninety seven,123). We additionally decide for no longer complication approximately environmental calamities in spite of if the present organic warming vogue maintains. The Earth has been lots warmer throughout the previous 3,000 years devoid of catastrophic consequences. warmer climate extends transforming into seasons and often improves the habitability of less warm areas. As coal, oil, and organic gas are used to feed and carry from poverty huge numbers of folk international, greater CO2 would be embarked on the ambience. this could help to maintain and strengthen the wellbeing, toughness, prosperity, and productiveness of all human beings. america and different international places ought to offer greater power, no longer much less. the main sensible, on your funds, and environmentally sound approaches obtainable are hydrocarbon and nuclear technologies. Human use of coal, oil, and organic gas has no longer harmfully warmed the Earth, and the extrapolation of modern traits exhibits that it will no longer gain this in the foreseeable destiny. The CO2 produced does, in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, strengthen up the upward push expenses of vegetation and likewise facilitates vegetation to strengthen in drier areas. Animal existence, which relies upon on vegetation, additionally thrives, and the variety of plant and animal existence is greater. Human activities are producing area of the upward push in CO2 in the ambience. Mankind is moving the carbon in coal, oil, and organic gas from under floor to the ambience, the place that's obtainable for conversion into residing issues. we live in an progressively greater lush environment of vegetation and animals as a results of this CO2 improve. our young ones will as a result relish an Earth with much greater plant and animal existence than that with which we now are blessed.
2016-10-01 12:52:41
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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Higher CO2 emissions into atmosphere. This is due to automobile exhausts, industries,
2006-08-05 18:30:20
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answer #5
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answered by two_cents 1
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Our governments HOT AIR.
2006-08-05 18:38:40
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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Too many people, too much burning of fossil fuels, too many cows farting, --- and the bad spelling makes it all worse!
2006-08-05 18:32:30
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answer #7
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answered by mikee 1
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No cold war.
2006-08-05 18:58:42
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answer #8
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answered by Kevin H 7
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