what is global warming?

Answer 1

the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution.

The temperature of the atmosphere near the earth's surface is warmed through a natural process called the greenhouse effect. Visible, shortwave light comes from the sun to the earth, passing unimpeded through a blanket of thermal, or greenhouse, gases composed largely of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Infrared radiation reflects off the planet's surface toward space but does not easily pass through the thermal blanket. Some of it is trapped and reflected downward, keeping the planet at an average temperature suitable to life, about 60°F (16°C).

Growth in industry, agriculture, and transportation since the Industrial Revolution has produced additional quantities of the natural greenhouse gases plus chlorofluorocarbons and other gases, augmenting the thermal blanket. It is generally accepted that this increase in the quantity of greenhouse gases is trapping more heat and increasing global temperatures, making a process that has been beneficial to life potentially disruptive and harmful. During the past century, the atmospheric temperature has risen 1.1°F (0.6°C), and sea level has risen several inches. Some projected, longer-term results of global warming include melting of polar ice, with a resulting rise in sea level and coastal flooding; disruption of drinking water supplies dependent on snow melts; profound changes in agriculture due to climate change; extinction of species as ecological niches disappear; more frequent tropical storms; and an increased incidence of tropical diseases.

Among factors that may be contributing to global warming are the burning of coal and petroleum products (sources of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone); deforestation, which increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; methane gas released in animal waste; and increased cattle production, which contributes to deforestation, methane production, and use of fossil fuels.

Much of the debate surrounding global warming has centered on the accuracy of scientific predictions concerning future warming. To predict global climatic trends, climatologists accumulate large historical databases and use them to create computerized models that simulate the earth's climate. The validity of these models has been a subject of controversy. Skeptics say that the climate is too complicated to be accurately modeled, and that there are too many unknowns. Some also question whether the observed climate changes might simply represent normal fluctuations in global temperature. Nonetheless, for some time there has been general agreement that at least part of the observed warming is the result of human activity, and that the problem needs to be addressed. In 1992, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, over 150 nations signed a binding declaration on the need to reduce global warming.

In 1994, however, a UN scientific advisory panel, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, concluded that reductions beyond those envisioned by the treaty would be needed to avoid global warming. The following year, the advisory panel forecast a rise in global temperature of from 1.44 to 6.3°F (0.8—3.5°C) by 2100 if no action is taken to cut down on the production of greenhouse gases, and a rise of from 1 to 3.6°F (0.5—2°C) even if action is taken (because of already released gases that will persist in the atmosphere).

A UN Conference on Climate Change, held in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997 resulted in an international agreement to fight global warming, which called for reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialized nations. Not all industrial countries, however, immediately signed or ratified the accord. In 2001 the G. W. Bush administration announced it would abandon the Kyoto Protocol; because the United States produces about one quarter of the world's greenhouse gases, this was regarded as a severe blow to the effort to slow global warming. Despite the American move, most other nations agreed later in the year (in Bonn, Germany, and in Marrakech, Morocco) on the details necessary to convert the agreement into a binding international treaty.

Improved automobile mileage, reforestation projects, energy efficiency in construction, and national support for mass transit are among relatively simpler adjustments that could significantly lower U.S. production of greenhouse gases. More aggressive adjustments include a gradual worldwide shift away from the use of fossil fuels, the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons, and the slowing of deforestation by restructuring the economies of developing nations. In 2002 the Bush administration proposed several voluntary measures for slowing the increase in, instead of reducing, emissions of greenhouses gases.

Answer 2

Global Warming .is the concept of warmer weather due to pollution in the environment.The excess carbondioxide emitted from development and industries attract the heat of the sun and as a result we have warmer atmospheres

Answer 3

If there truly is GW, It is not from burning fuels on the surface of the earth. The major CO2 sink is the ocean water. It absorbs CO2 instantly on contact. It then buffers it in a huge buffer system of NaHCO3. Since the oceans cover 85% of the earth's surface, any land flora is only a minor bit player. Plants can only take up CO2 in the warmer growing months and only in the daytime. That leaves 14 18 hours per day plus all winter long when the plant life is unable or incapable of using CO2. Cold water takes up more gas. When it warms up, as in summertime, it releases some of the CO2 stored and the plants then can make use of it. Apparently snow takes up CO2 also.

The one place that nature has not had to deal with large amounts of CO2 is in the upper atmosphere. JET engines burn 1-5 tons of kerosene per hour. Each ton produces 3.66 tons of CO2 and 1.56 tons of H2O. There are thousands of hours of JET traffic per day above 30,000 ft. Even tho CO2 is heavier than air, it takes time for it to settle out down to earth. There would seem to be an excess burning of fuel high in the atmosphere. And nothing to use it up. The gradient for CO2 uptake is down to the earths surface.

Answer 4

BS pushed by the leftists who lost the cold war. They make the unsustainable leap from evidence of the cyclical warming and cooling of the earth to actions of man. When man learns to control the output of the sun he can then control global warming.

Answer 5

Global Warming is the idea that the whole earth is getting warmer year after year... because of pollution, and aerosols, and other man made actions.... does it exist? Who knows? Will we actually find solutions to it? Again, who knows?

Answer 6

Certain gases don't let the heat escape from the Earth's surface. It's like putting on an extra blanket or an extra sweater. If you put on a sweater, the sweater does not actually make any heat. It just makes it so that the heat from your body does not escape as easily.

Millions of tons of crap DAILY into the atmosphere is nothing to sneeze at. Pun intended.

We are screwing ourselves over for a buck.
Shooting ourselves in the herd.
Stepping on our own ducks.
Cutting off our nose to spite our finch.
Kicking ourselves in the asparagus beetle.

For the almighty dollar we're ruining it for everybody and everything, and people who deny it are three fries short of a Happy Meal.
Have a nice day.

Answer 7

Why would you ask that question here, when you can simply goto google, yahoo, or MSN, and type in, "Global Warming" and get a Wikipedia link?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

Answer 8

in case you want to receive provide money for climate learn, do you imagine that you receives a cheque when you're saying," i want the provide, as i imagine that i can educate that the figures that the present paradigm is depending upon are incorrect" ? the excellent environmentalist, David Bellamy, has been silenced, and refused airtime. there continues to be no shown causative link between the quantity of Co2 in the ambience, and an enhance in international temperatures. The WWWF images of the polar bears swimming were taken in the Arctic summer; at the same time as the ice cap in part melts, as they couldn't upward push up to image in the iciness. The ice grow to be too thick! The East-Anglian uni learn figures. "Oh! The figures do not tournament our expectations. Oh properly. keep quiet. because all of us understand that we are actual." at the same time as the idea, and the religion is more beneficial major than squarely dealing with the valid doubts of dissimilar non provide-supported scientists, technology has been superceded through non secular zealots. As Oliver Cromwell colourfully suggested." I pray thee, in the bowels of Christ, evaluate that thou mayest be incorrect."

Answer 9

It is a mixure of greehouse gases that get "stuck" in our atmosesphere and when the sun heats the earth the heat can't escape and warms the earth

Answer 10

the globe getting warmer. hence..global warming.