Do YOU think that global warming is man-made?

Question

Why or why not? Virtually all scientists think that global warming is real, it's just the question of whether it's man made or not. So? What do you think?

Answer 1

Partly man-made, partly the natural cycle of the Earth which periodically goes through warming and then cooling phases.

As global warming has the potential to be pretty unpleasant for us due to flooding of many fertile and low lying areas, severe weather, crop failures etc etc we should do what we can to reduce the effect of the man-made portion of the problem even if it is also part-natural.

Answer 2

This is a very interesting question, mainly because it's so complicated.

First; there's no doubt that global warming is occurring. We have accurate global temperature readings and other scientifically accurate data so that we can be sure that the average temperature worldwide is on the rise.

Second; there's no doubt that many of humankind's activities do contribute to global warming. We know, for example, that burning fossil fuels and forests adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. We also know that increased carbon dioxide contributes to the rise in global temperatures.

There are many natural causes for global warming too, however and we know for a fact that global temperatures have risen in the past, just like they are today, long before we humans had any type of industry. The Earth does have a normal cycle of warming and cooling, regardless of what we humans do.

So the question is, "Is humankind's contribution to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere enough to disturb this normal cycle in a dangerous way?".

The answers I've seen to that question really vary from one expert to another but the overall opinion seems to be that it's very possible that our contribution could push the normal cycle into something called the "runaway greenhouse effect".

That's where the level of carbon dioxide reaches a point where it's effects cause the Earth to get hotter and hotter at a faster and faster rate! The oceans could boil and the vast majority of life on Earth (if not all) would perish.

With that as a possibility, we really have to take global warming seriously or our great, great, great grandchildren may not survive!

Answer 3

You are wrong about "virtually all scientists"

View this video before you make an asinine statement about real scientists and global warming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XttV2C6B8pU

The IPCC report is not scientifically valid, and the scientists who question the validity are b&tchslapped by the socialist scum that are publishing the report.

Be a skeptic. If money and politics are involved especially!!

According to the ice core record CO2 increase FOLLOW temperature increases not the other way around. Watch the video and wise up. You are being duped by a vast group bent on anti-capitalist anti-development agenda of propaganda and lies.

Answer 4

Its not a question of what someone THINKS--you don't do science based on opinion.

Scientists have accumulated a massive body of facts--and have shown that not only is global warming real, but that the current global warming is caused by humans.

Answer 5

Naaaaahhhhh I took undergrad level geology at university.

Additionally my field in grad school was archaeology. Interdisciplinary studies causes one to need to know about fluctuations within the major geologic glaciations, such as the last Little Ice Age.

Also in the course of hobby genealogy I can see in photographs and clothing that the planet has been warming since about 1850s or the US Civil War.

Bottom line I cannot respect anyone attempting to manipulate others with crass "emotional blackmail" like claiming humans cause geologic fluctuations OR that mere humans, who did not exist throughout the majority of the planet's existence, can undo major geologic processes.

Answer 6

No, Global warming is not man made, we only are responsible for 4% of the world's carbon emissions. There is more gas from the rear ends of livestock and cattle than from man. man made gw is a political issue that is used by liberals to increase taxes and hinder economic growth

Answer 7

The vast majority of scientists think it's mostly man made as well.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686

http://www.realclimate.org/

"The overwhelming majority of atmospheric scientists around the world and our own National Academy of Sciences are in essential agreement on the facts of global warming and the significant contribution of human activity to that trend."

Russell E. Train, Republican, former environmental official under Presidents Nixon and Ford

So do I.

The human emission of CO2 is easily enough to mess up the natural system, as clearly seen in the data. The small teeth are the natural system, with plant activity in summer and winter. The big surge up is us, burning fossil fuels. This is one small thing. Because of an overwhelming amount of data only a tiny minority of scientists disagree that humans are the main cause.

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

Much more data here:

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

EDIT: The youtube video cited below is flat wrong.

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/03/swindled/

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2031455,00.html

Answer 8

partly yes and partly no , global warming is caused by man himself , as for example , pollution .The climate system varies through natural, internal processes and in response to variations in external "forcing" from both human and natural causes.These forcing factors include solar activity, volcanic emissions, variations in the earth's orbit (orbital forcing) and greenhouse gases. The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus identifies increased levels of greenhouse gases due to human activity as the main influence.

Answer 9

dear me,
global warming is the effect of green house effetct which is trapping of sun's heat by some gases in the earth's atmosphere and which if in excess causes an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere.
the gases include co2,ozone cfc etc and some of these are of course as usual the emittants of human activities over a hundred years or so!
hope you find this useful!!!

a sweet girl

Answer 10

The warming we are experiencing is in no way unprecidented. The theory that it is caused by CO2 emmissions is not holding up to scrutiny. The theories that solar activity has an affect on cloud formation is gaining ground. The CO2 emmitted by humans is a very small percentage of the overall greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.