Global warming is it natural or man made?

Answer 1

Global warming is both a natural and man-made phenomena, however the term is usually used to refer to the man-made warming caused by the increase in greenhouse gases released by man since the industrial revolution.

There have always been greenhouse gases within the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide. Without the 'natural' carbon dioxide in our atmosphere all the suns energy that comes to the earth would go straight back into space and the Earth would be really cold (about -18C).

Since the industrial revolution (when we started factories etc and started to release carbon dioxide on a large scale) the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has doubled. This has led to more of the suns rays being trapped within the atmosphere causing global temperatures to rise.

It is a fact that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases have risen, and also a fact that global temperatures have risen. There are very few scientists that do not believe that global warming is occurring, that it is going to be a serious problem, and that it is due to mans emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

People are correct in the fact that temperatures vary naturally, for example the cycle between ice ages and warmer periods known as interglacials. However the current warming that we are seeing cannot be explained by natural cycles such as variations in the output of the sun. For me one of the most convincing pieces of evidence that global warming is caused by man is 2 graphs that I've linked to below. The 1st graph shows that warming earlier in the 20th centuary can be explained by natural causes. However the very rapid warming seen in the last 25-30years can only be explained by mans release of greenhouse gases.

The second link shows temperatures over the last 1000 years, this just shows how rapid and unusual this current warming is, again suggesting that it is caused be mans emissions of carbon dioxide.

Just as a PS: It is correct that there instrumental temperature records only go back around 200 years or so which is not a hugely long record. However we can get records of temperatures over 100 000s of years from proxies in ice cores, tree rings etc - that is partly how we know there have been repeated ice-age cycles.

And as a PPS!: It's not about giving up cars completely etc etc but we waste an awful lot of energy. We could start by reducing our energy consumption by turning off lights, only boiling the water we need to in our kettles, insulating our homes better, not having the heating turned up so high that we need shorts on during winter! Also things like improving the rail network so people use the trains within the UK instead of flying. Helping to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide we emit doesn't require returning to living in a cave, just a re-think on how we use energy and more importantly how we waste it.

Answer 2

Global warming is both natural and man-made.

The obvious reasons for pointing the finger at humans for causing global warming is mainly from the advances in technology. Fossil fuels are a key part of everyday life, both directly and indirectly. From small campfires for heat, to large coal burning power-plants for electricity, man-made infrastructure has increased the strain to the global ecosystem.

The natural side of things can be also seen between the many man-made causes. The world is always changing! Even before humans developed the land for production, there were major changes to the Earth's climate.

One simple way of picturing the natural side are the forest fires that occur during the summer periods in the various parts of the world. Some but not all forest fires occur naturally and without human intervention, the forest would simply keep burning throughout the summer months until it begins to rain.

Basically, humans contribute to global warming as well as nature since without humans on Earth, there would be a huge depletion of trees converting into carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Answer 3

There is no consensus on this issue. Scientists on both sides disagree about causes. The Global Warming debate is not about saving the Earth, it is about funding. The climatology story changes every 15 - 20 years. It reflects whatever people will buy at the time. Does anyone remember the Hole in Ozone layer? Or how about the predecessor to Global Warming, Global cooling and the new ice age? The simple fact is that we have not been recording temperatures for long enough to predict true effects of nature versus climate over geologic timescales.

Answer 4

given the data I have seen, i'd ought to assert international climate replace is organic and cyclical. truly guy has a small effect, such as taking a swimming pool complete of water, dumping it into the pacific ocean and the claiming the sea stages have risen dramatically. climate replace has been round because the planet change into formed 4.5 billion years in the past, and the geological record shows that the elements has replaced both very slowly, and intensely right away. case in aspect after we got here out of the perfect significant ice age, the international advise temperature jumped 15 stages is an fairly short era of time, something like 10-15 years in accordance to the specialists. there have been different classes the position it took centuries to drop or upward thrust some stages. the reality although is that we are in worry-free words getting a small portion of the technology behind international climate replace in view that we quite understand little or no about how the elements in the international works. even if it isnt for a lack of attempting, our scientists are certainly operating complicated to study all they could about why issues ensue the way they do, and if something should be performed about it. the most proper scientists will allow you to do not ignore that adequate isn't yet basic to get a real image.

Answer 5

The world is constantly changing or we would be living with the Dinosaurs and trying our best not to get smashed flat as a pancake or how about which one of us would Dina eat for lunch. Of course we dirty the air but who is the first one to quit using their blow dryer and start walking every place they need to go. We need to live without electricity and quit driving our vehicles. WHO IN THE HELL WILL BE THE FIRST TO SET THAT EXAMPLE FOR ALL TO FOLLOW? If someone out there will lead I will follow. We have to "Get Real". Spend the time and money feeding the poor or find some cures for the diseases that we know for a fact are killing us instead of the worthless research figuring out or trying to convince us that Global Warming even exists. These people have to justify there jobs.

Answer 6

Natural.

Answer 7

Global warming as a phenomenon is natural. But, we the humans have helped catalyze the process making the globe warm faster.

Answer 8

I think human leads to global warming much than nature

Answer 9

Both, I think.

The Earth goes through warming and cooling phases in geological time, however human intervention seems to be accelerating the rate of global warming beyond the usual rate and range in the Earth's History.

Answer 10

Man made - such change occurs over thousands of years naturally (the world has gone through many different climates in it's very long history of which we are a VERY SMALL part), not in the space of half a century.