Is global warming real or just the cycle of nature?

Answer 1

Since the energy output of the sun has gone up .2% in the last 40 years and Mars and Pluto are warming up, it may just be natural.... Read here - it was written in 2003 and everyone ignores the facts

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/sun_output_030320.html

Answer 2

Yes, global warming is real.

But I suspect what you’re really asking is, are we really causing it? And the answer to that one is, probably not.

Many people will try to tell you that the debate is over and all agree that global warming is real and is caused by mankind. This simply *isn’t* true.

Have a look at this link… http://www.heartland.org/pdf/20861.pdf

This site gives the result of an anonymous survey of 530 climate scientist from 27 different countries. It makes very interesting reading. Here are the highlights…

Question: “Human activity is causing global warming?” Result: 45% either disagree or uncertain.

Question: “We can assess the effects of greenhouse gasses?” Result: 76% either disagree or uncertain.

Question: “Climate models can accurately predict future climates?” Result: 65% either disagree or uncertain.

And this is a “consensus”?

Oh, and can I just comment on ‘lucifer’ above, and his comment…

“by 2050 mega-catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina, which used to occur every 100 years, are predicted to happen every 25”

This is another classic example of scare-mongering from the global warming alarmists. There is no evidence to suggest that global warming will cause more frequent and/or bigger hurricanes.

Here’s the truth about hurricane Katrina…

Global Warming Alarmists’ version.

Hurricane Katrina was a massive storm, caused by global warming, the like of which has never been seen before. Just look at the damage and flooding it caused in New Orleans. No hurricane has ever caused that much damage and flooding before. Therefore hurricane Katrina *must* have been the biggest storm ever. Therefore global warming is going to be a catastrophe.

The truth.

Parts of New Orleans are 6m below sea level and below the water level of both Lake Pontchatrain to the north and the nearby Mississippi river. To protect the city from flooding, levees were built to keep the water out.

Hurricanes are measured on a scale from 1 to 5. A Category 1 storm is small and a Category 5 storm is huge.

Despite the hype from the Global Warming Alarmists, hurricane Katrina was, in fact, a Category 5 hurricane; big, to be sure, but within the normal range for hurricane activity. It was not the “biggest storm ever”, it was not even the biggest storm of 2005 (it was the third biggest.)

Furthermore, as Katrina approached New Orleans, it weakened and was re-categorised as a Category 4 hurricane. So, whilst still big, it was *not* a huge storm when it passed New Orleans. After landfall, it was re-categorised again to a Category 3.

So, if Katrina was not that big a storm, why was there so much flooding? Because the levees protecting New Orleans were only ever designed to protect the city from a Category *3* hurricane.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that, when you set a Category 4 hurricane loose on defences designed to withstand only a Category 3 hurricane, the defences are going to fail.

The disaster in New Orleans could have happened the week after the defences were completed. It didn’t. It happened on 29th August 2005. It was not caused by global warming, it was simply bad planning and bad luck.

It is probably also worth mentioning that ‘lucifer’s comment that “mega-catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina… used to occur every 100 years“ is nonsense. New Orleans was devastated by hurricanes 3 times in the 1700s, long before global warming started.

As ever with global warming… don’t believe the hype.

Answer 3

Both. Global warming is real and it's natural. If not why were there previous ice ages and why did they retreat.

If there were no humans the earth would still be warming. If humans did not burn another drop of fuel the warming would continue for centuries. That is the conclusion of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

We can't stop global warming. We may be able to reduce the human contribution to warming but that is a tiny percentage of the total.

Answer 4

the earth has a natural warming cycle anyway, what has sparked the concern about global warming caused by man is the increasing rate of warming over such a short period of time, and which links with the start of the Industrial Revolution. Also some scientists say we should have now been heading for a mini ice age, but this warming trend has counteracted it

Answer 5

A bit of both, history tells us that the planet goes through cycles of tropical and ice ages but we are certainly not helping things.

Take CFC's for an example. They only constitute only about one part per billion of the atmosphere as a whole, but one kilogram of it can annihilate 70,000 kilograms of ozone. Ozone is vital for soaking up ultra violet radiation, and as it stands, if it was spread evenly throughout our atmosphere it would form a layer just 2mm thick. Not much of it basically!

But the planet also naturally contributes to the natural cycle. One big volcano can pump more carbon into the atmosphere that humans have since becoming industrialised.

In short - we need to be more responsible with our planet, but global warming will likely happen anyway!

Answer 6

A combination of both.A warm cycle is occurring but the effects are being increased by the man made pollution in the atmosphere.The effects of warming could be severe but with the human pollution factor added it could be catastrophic.All the talk about reducing carbon emissions etc. will not stop global warming. All we can to is to try to lessen the effects of it.

Answer 7

There's a completely overwhelming amount of scientific data showing that it's real and caused mostly by man.

Short version:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png

The best summary of the data:

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

The data is why scientists know it's mostly us and not the sun, volcanoes, etc. The data is why the vast majority of scientists think it's real. Proof.

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

Watch the national news tonight, pick up a paper, or check a major news source on the Net. This truth should now be clear to all:

"The science of global warming is clear. We know enough to act now. We must act now."

James Rogers, CEO of Charlotte-based Duke Energy.

“With overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is adversely impacting the health of our planet, the time has come for the Congress to take action.”

Senator Olympia Snowe, Republican, Maine

"I agree with you (Gore) that the debate over climate change is over."

Rep. Dennis Hastert, Republican, Illinois

"Global warming is real, now, and it must be addressed."

Lee Scott, CEO, Wal-Mart

“DuPont believes that action is warranted, not further debate."

Charles O. Holliday, Jr., CEO, DuPont

"We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late. The science is clear. The global warming debate is over."

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican, Governor, California

"Our nation has both an obligation and self-interest in facing head-on the serious environmental, economic and national security threat posed by global warming."

John McCain, Republican, Senator, Arizona

Answer 8

Cycle of Nature.

Answer 9

I would think it to be a cycle of nature. You would notice that there were high levels of temperature before each ice age. So, what we would be experiencing right now is a cycle. Soon, there will be another ice age.

Answer 10

It's both but the natural cycle has been enhanced by what we, as humans, have dumped into the mix.
This cycle has also come on sooner and with greater strength then it normally would have because of our involvement.