If we know that our greenhouse gasses make global warming worse, does it matter whether we caused it?

Question

Isn't it obvious that if the planet is getting warmer, and our emissions are exacerbating the problem, then we should stop the emissions? The rightwingers say that we don't know if it's a natural phenomenon or not, but isn't that irrelevant? If we have the ability to save ourselves and our planet, we should do it, whether the problem is man-made or not.

Answer 1

The planet is getting warmer and we can see that from the 31 mile ice sheet that just broke off in the Arctic circle. It doesn't matter what the Right-wingers say, science is science and fact is fact. Global warming is a natural phenomenon that can occur due to either solar flares, the earth changing it's tilt and the poles changing (every 22,000 years). Throughout billions of eons, we know the earth has gone through ice ages and then warm periods. Humans are currently in a warm age where water is readily available instead of locked up in glaciers.

Scientists say that we have 10 years before the tipping point of no return. NASA is trying to find planets that humans can live on instead of trying to maintain the beautiful one we've inherited.

We should do something about it, you're correct about that. By trying to lay blame is a tactic that is used to re-frame the debate. Kudos to you for recognizing this and not getting caught up.

Answer 2

Yeah, we should take precautions but some idiots still think that global warming is still a myth (my family). However, if we screw up and throw the planet into complete chaos with uber high temperatures, scientists are saying that if the caldera of magma that lies underneath Yellowstone explodes (good thing to research) it could destroy the continent and cause a world-wide ice age. But I don't think that that's gonna happen any time soon, however global warming IS here and it's an issues that needs to be taken care of NOW!

Answer 3

It isn't that simple.

Carbon dioxide, the most demonized "greenhouse gas" is absolutely necessary for life on Earth. All green plants that grow in air take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen in their life processes.
Animals do just the opposite. Flatulent animals also emit methane.
If we were able to eliminate carbon dioxide, we (plants and animals) would all die.

I think that it is a shame that political parties, both on the right as well as on the left have gotten involved in this. Both of them usually get the chemistry wrong.

Remember, during the medieval warm period, it was much warmer. There was no industry then in the modern sense.

Answer 4

Problem is that the science of climate change is not as advanced as some would lead you to believe. In some places the records indicate that the temperature is going down. Even if the overall temperature is going up, the amount due to human activity is very hard to know for sure. One thing we do know for sure is that the planet has gone through cycles of warming and cooling for thousands of years. To get an idea of the ambiguity of all of this, I recommend reading Michael Crichton's novel, "State of Fear." Yes, it is fiction, but he does scientific articles to support various points of view.

Answer 5

YES, thank you for having some common sense. There are so many people on this topic that A: don't think its a problem B: Don't think we caused it C: Won't even admit its happening. Morons everywhere. They say 1/4 of americans are retarted though.

Answer 6

We dont produce rain, but we built roofs. We dont produce cold, but we build heating systems. We dont produce sickness (or we try not to) but we bring our beloved ones to hospitals for recovery if there is one posibility for recovery against one million.

We don t care who is guilty. Humankind defends against anything that threatens us.