Question about global warming...?

Question

I've heard that if all of the polar ice caps melt, the oceans will rise 20 feet. So who knows the precentage of the world's land that is 20 feet above sea level?

Answer 1

Actually the temperature of the earth has increased less than 7/10 of 1 degree (C) from 1880 to 2005. That is an increase of about 1 degree (F) in 125 years. You may choose to believe that is global warming or you may not. Source: http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/2005/2005cal_fig1.gif There are numerous charts all over the internet showing the same. Some say that 1 degree is enough to impact the global climate, others say it's not. Most proponents of global warming think the earth's temperature has risen much more than that and don't even know that it has only risen by 1 degree. But the charts do not lie as do the proponents on both sides of this issue. The average temperature in the Antarctica is 109 degrees below zero. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica#Climate It seems to me 108 below (one degree warmer) is still pretty cold and not enough to melt anything. But there are those that say it will.

Back in the '70s all the hype was about global COOLING and another ice age was coming. I remember that they blamed pollution for that too. They said that all the pollution was darkening the skies and not as much sun was coming through so the earth was cooling off. It took many years to discover that they were mistaken and it was all just hype. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling So when someone says, "the sky is falling" don't believe everything you hear on either side of the issue. There are Spin Doctors galore out there.

Most of the time people will form an opinion and not really be informed about the subject with which they become so opinionated about. So it's best that you not form your opinions from other's opinions, (as in this forum) but on the facts presented. (Many do not provide any proof or links to prove their point, just their opinion.) With that said we do have a responsibility to do our part by doing whatever is within your power to keep our planet alive and well.

I hope that helps...

Answer 2

ynotgayle, misinformation is not what Yahoo Answers is all about, the truth is. Look at any of references and other than global cooling, (science marches on as new data becomes available) see if you can find any of the statistics he is talking about.
Here is where you find the real answers and yes global warming is real, it's man made and we have to do something about it.
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
http://web.mit.edu/cgcs/www/

Dr Z, I couldn't find any reference in a short search for how much area will be lost but if you look at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change web site, it will show as up to 200 million people will be directly displaced and billions will be indirectly affected.

Answer 3

The 20-foot number often quoted is what would happen if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melts. The entire ice cap melting would be several hundred feet. I don't believe anyone has computed the percentage of either number, but many of the most economically important regions on earth would be under water or severely affected.

Capnemo's answer reminds me of the joke about the guy who jumps off a bridge and says, "Hey, it's not that bad! I've only fallen two feet so far!"

Answer 4

Well, I can tell you this: Up to 200 million of people will become refugees looking for shelter by 2100. I'm not sure what the percentage is, but the most important thing is that the most important cities are located on coast lines.

This is because they used to be and still are trading location, etc. You're talking New Orleans, New York, London, India's over populated cities, Japan, Bejing, L.A., and many economically important cities.

Answer 5

Capnemo this is what YA answer should be all about I actually learn something from you today