Is global warming caused by nature, not man?

Question

On Thursday at 9pm on Channel 4 there is a programme with an impressive line-up of experts who present an alternative view to US being responsible for global warming.

I have NEVER been convinced that man is clever or powerful enough to overcome the rules of nature and that what is happening - it is UNDOUBTEDLY happening - is caused by nature. Perhaps this programme will convert some of you or at least make people think that there is little human involvement.

Answer 1

On the subject of global warming, there are really only 2 genuine facts…

1) The climate has been generally on a warming trend since around 1750 when it began to emerge from the “little ice age”.

2) The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has been rising steadily since the beginning of the industrial revolution; it has risen by slightly more than one third since 1900.

Sadly, for the global warming alarmists, that’s it, as far as the actual facts are concerned. Everything else you hear is largely guesswork, dodgy science or “lies, damn lies and statistics”.

For example, while it is true that CO2 is a greenhouse gas, it is not well understood how much of an effect a given rise in CO2 would have on temperatures. Climate scientists have consistently failed to accurately predict what temperatures will do; de facto proof that they don’t know how the climate really works.

Many people say things like ’Bob’ did, above…

“They've just rounded up some of the few scientists who disagree with the vast majority.”

This just *isn’t* true. There are many, many scientists who disagree with the “consensus” of global warming. The problem is that the media and, sadly, the government simply ignore them. I was reading an article by Bob Carter today (written 13/10/06 - http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5006 ) in which he reports about a technical meeting on climate change that he attended in Sweden, at the same time that Al Gore arrived to publicise his film. He comments that the “…public might ponder why it was that such an important conference as “Scientific Controversies in Climate Variability” was allowed to pass unremarked by a local media which at the same time gave prominence to the movie An Inconvenient Truth…”

It seems that the media are not interested in truth, just what sells newspapers. Similarly, the government is only interested in what gets the votes and allows them to raise more taxes.

‘Bob’, above, also says…

“Global warming is not natural, a vast amount of scientific data shows it.”

Again, this just *isn’t* true. There *is* a “vast amount of scientific data” showing that the climate is warming, but very little that can give us a conclusive answer as to the crucial question; why?

And ‘Bob’s final quote…

“the question of global warming was settled years ago for all but a few holdouts in the scientific community”

(A quote from the Kansas City Star, no less. Well, that’s me convinced!) This quote is typical of the sweeping statements of the global warming alarmists. They know that, if they can just say that sort of thing often enough, while drowning out (or gagging) the sceptics, the public will believe it.

The best advice is… don’t believe the hype.

Answer 2

Hi. I always enjoy this question. Mostly because "global warming" ignores the fact that the Earth is at the end of an ice age and is supposed to be heading for a tropical era. While there may be some human involvement, we're just speeding up a natural process.

It's like saying that the population in China is what will cause the magnetic poles to switch. Some time in the next thousand years, magnetic North will become South and vice versa. It's a natural process.

There may actually be a correlation between the two. You see, as the Earth heads towards a polar reversal, it's magnetic field becomes weaker. It's theorized that as the magnetic field weakens, the air envelope around the Earth expands, and thus the atmosphere becomes thinner.

This thinner atmosphere theoretically is supposed to make for more greenhouse gases and less protection from the suns rays.

Right now, the magnetic field of the Earth is down by eighty percent. That's alot. We know this by the study of ancient lava flows. Same way they were able to discover that the Earth switches poles once in a while.

So, there's a good chance that this weakened magnetics and diluted atmosphere have a part to play in global warming. And that once the poles switch, we'll be thrown into a tropical era while the Earth's magnetic field is at full strength again.

It's entirely possible that the pre-iceage magnetic shift durring the dinosaur era caused an increase of gravity that was just not tolerable for the oversized creatures and plants of that time.

But, we just don't know, and maybe never will.

Fact is, things change on a very large scale. While we really shouldn't help it along (we're destroying our own habitat, and the habitat of every living thing) we aren't going to stop it.

EDIT: as for the subject being decided long ago... unfortunately for some, science is always developing, and what was true two years ago may not be so true today. The possibility of the Earth shifting poles was only discovered when an advanced computer program was devised, which detected the possibility. Although geological evidence suggested it all along.

Answer 3

worldwide Warming is being brought about by skill of human action. Nature or the planet can take in the co2 from Volcanos and it has performed so in the time of history without real long term effects. comparable with sunlight spots etc. yet all thebillions of lots of CO2 being spewed into the air by skill of people worldwide huge is inflicting this. it rather is something it rather is particularly new to the planet because of the fact it fairly is basically been occurring because of the fact the business revolution. yet while one analyze ice center documents and co2 in oceans and soil because of the fact the initiating of the business revolution, one sees consistant increasing co2 ranges. And, those ranges have greater desirable promptly for the reason that WWII. The drastic replace in worldwide climate started interior the Nineteen Fifties. even nevertheless it has rather taken off till the 1980's, ninety's and now 2000's. And, scientists say that those rather rapid increasing temperature and co2 ranges have on no account been witnessed in the previous in history. In different words, those temperatures are increasing speedier than they ever did in organic history. which skill they are guy made because of the fact there is not any different reason for it. i'm afraid we've not seen something yet. as quickly as China and India's financial device ramps as much as even greater desirable than what it rather is as we talk, our planet it going to be hugely distinctive that as quickly as we've been teenagers. Larry G. Do you have evidence that the medical community replaced into asserting that we've been going tohave a worldwide freeze? the place are you getting that advice.

Answer 4

They've just rounded up some of the few scientists who disagree with the vast majority.

Global warming is not natural, a vast amount of scientific data shows it.

The guy above has the volcano numbers wildly wrong. Volcanoes emit less than 10% of what man does, and because of dust emitted, contribute less than nothing to global warming.

http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/climate_effects.html

Nature does produce and capture a lot of CO2. But it's a delicate balance that we're upsetting by digging up carbon the cycle buried over many thousands of years and burning it real fast. This data shows what's happening. The little teeth are the carbon cycle doing it's thing (plants are more active in summer, less in winter), the huge surge up is us burning fossil fuels and kicking nature's butt.

http://scrippsco2.ucsd.edu/graphics_gallery/mauna_loa_record/mlo_record.html

And increased solar radiation is also rejected as a major cause by hard data.

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

Page 4.

People can talk, but massive amounts of hard data shows global warming is NOT natural. Which is why:

"the question of global warming was settled years ago for all but a few holdouts in the scientific community"

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/16620307.htm

Answer 5

every year 186 billion tons of co2 are placed in the air...

6 billion are from human.

90 billion are from green dead things.
90 billion are from volcanos...

the number 1 greenhouse gas is water vapor
the number 2 greenhouse gas... cow farts or methan

humans are not powerful enough to destroy the earth

Answer 6

It is caused by an increase in the average fart frequency and volume of the average American over the past few decades.

Answer 7

I think it`s a natural thing because millions of years ago Briton was a red hot swamp full of dinasaurs. (still the same realy).

Answer 8

Both, it is a cycle that the Earth goes through naturally but mankind is increasing and speeding it up!

Answer 9

I heard trees give out methane and are resposible for 40%. Not sure how accurate that is though.

Answer 10

Yeah, come to think of it. How about if tomorrow Al Jazeera lines up a panel of experts to prove that September 11 was actually caused by giant Roc birds which had gone astray ?

What would Americans say to that ?