What is the real truth about global warming?

Answer 1

You have a question about science.

Why are you posting it in this category?

Answer 2

A little off topic but....there's no question the earth is warming, we have the before and after pictures of lots of glaciers and lots of other data which supports global warming. The controversy is about whether humans are causing it or causing part of it.

We know that the climate has warmed and cooled many times in the past -- before humans were pumping out CO2. We know that the energy output of the sun is not constant. We know that the energy output of the sun is higher now than it was a few decades ago. We know that volcanoes emit more CO2 into the atmosphere than humans. We know that most of the volcanoes are under the sea. We don't know much about the volcanic activity under the sea but we know that submarine volcanic emissions are way hot and would warm the ocean. We know that increased ocean temperatures affects the climate. We know that increased ocean temperatures also affects the amount of moisture in the air and that affects the amount of cloud cover and that affects the amount of solar energy reflected away from the earth and that affects the climate. One could go on and on.

It's an extremely complex mix of factors and nobody really understands how all these factors interact to affect climate.

Al Gore would have us believe that global warming is positively caused by us humans. Plenty of real scientists think that Al Gore is out of his depth.

Answer 3

From a Geological History Point of view Global Warming isn't that alarming and it may even be a good thing in the long term. The expansion of shallow seas would do wonders for bio diversity in the Oceans.
Inter-millennial warming and cooling cycles are quite natural, the last period of glacial expansion ended in the 1920's and some rebound warming is to be expected.
The current level of co2 in the atmosphere is 3.85% which in geological history terms is quite low and co gases aren't that important with regards to global warming, things like ocean currents play a far larger role.

Think about it how much CO do you think there is in a greenhouse full of plants emitting oxygen?

The good thing to come out of this debate is people a finally thinking of the pollution they are creating which on a quality of life level is good for everyone, if they act on these thoughts.

The fact is I'd rather have Global Warming than Global Cooling which one or two decent Volcanic eruptions could provide!

Answer 4

It is happening. The ice caps in Greenland are melting at 3 times the rate that they were 5 yrs ago. It is very very likely that it will break off and fall into the ocean. This ice cap contains the largest volumn of fresh water on earth. When it breaks off it will raise the ocean levels by as much as 21 ft. All costal regions will be underwater. Also when this large amount of fresh water melts it will stop the flow of the Gulf Stream. Causing an ice age to begin. Do some research.

Answer 5

It exists. Since the 1970's the north pole has melted 1/5 of it's size. For the last 28 years the worlds average temperature has been hotter than the previous years. Animals are going extinct at an unprecedented rate and coral reefs are dying out. Yes there is plenty to worry about this man made event.

Answer 6

My name is Rafael Lomena. I write from Alicante (Spain). I am independent investigator on the Accelerated Global Heating and want to share with all something that can turn out from interest to fight this phenomenon.
I believe that the main cause of the Accelerated Global Heating is in the great and increasing forest fires that are whipping to the planet in the last years.
My complete report is in: http://inicia.es/de/rlv/clim.htm...
If they do not understand the Spanish they can use the automatic translator that will find in the main page of site:
http://inicia.es/de/rlv
Thanks to all.
(* This message has been translated with a translation software)

Answer 7

that its happening, but the temperature of the earth has risen about 1 degree, and its not caused by man, but the sun is getting alittle hotter. In about 5 to 10 years you will hear the same people complaining about global warming due to humans, complain about global cooling due to humans.

Answer 8

All I know is that in the 70's Time and Newsweek were running articles about GLOBAL COOLING. They were even projecting forward to the possibility of an ONCOMING ICEAGE. I don't think we are here long enough to know some very long earth and sun cycles, and that we do not know what causes what.

Answer 9

Natural phenomenon, but we have made it a bit worse. There have been hundreds of climate shifts over the coarse of the Earths history.

Anyone ever heard of the "Ice Age"? Pretty sure we weren't driving cars back then.

Answer 10

It's almost certainly happening, but technically climate changes that have been measured so far are consistent with the natural fluctuation of the earth's temperature.