Coming ice age to cancel out global warming?

Question

In the 70s I think there was a scare story about the next ice age coming any time soon. Now we have a handy tax-raising story about global warming. If both are true and come at more or less the same time wouldn't they rather conveniently cancel each other out? What would the whiners, worriers and conspiracy theorists worry about then?

Answer 1

Proxy data shows that the planet has spent 90% of the last 400,000 years in an ice age. We are, therefore, very lucky to be living at a time when the Earth is relatively warm. Sadly, we will, eventually, slip into another cold period, but not for a while yet. (Hopefully!)

So, to answer your question, no, there is no imminent ice age that’s going to cancel out global warming.

Oh, it’s also worth pointing out that global warming is *not* going to suddenly trigger another ice age, as some answerers above have suggested. Have a look at the following FAQ on global warming… http://www.heartland.org/pdf/19381.pdf (page 3, “The Scare Stories“)

The fact is that, while the planet has warmed slightly over the last hundred years or so, the evidence suggests that most of that warming has been completely natural and, more importantly, is very unlikely to cause any major problems for mankind.

Global warming alarmists (GWAs), such as Bob, above, are constantly trying to convince us that there is a “consensus” that we are causing global warming, and that there is a (as Bob puts it) “huge verified database that shows global warming is real and mostly caused by us.”

This simply *isn’t* true. In fact there is evidence to suggest that the central premise of the GWAs’ case - that rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere cause temperatures to rise - is simply not true. Proxy data showing past temperature & CO2 levels show that rises in CO2 *followed* rises in temperature by 800 - 5000 years. More importantly, CO2 continued to rise for similar periods *after* temperatures started falling again. Plainly in the past, temperature ignores CO2.

More recently we have the cooling period from the 1940s to the 1970s which happened at a time when human produced CO2 rose sharply during the Post War Economic Boom, and currently, we have seen no rise in temperature since 1998, despite China, India and other developing nations pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere than ever before.

And what about that “consensus” that Bob and the other GWAs constantly talk about? Well, have a look here… http://www.heartland.org/pdf/20861.pdf This site shows the result of an international survey of climate scientists. To the question “Is human activity causing climate change?”, only 56% said yes. While this may be a majority (just about), it is a very long way away from a consensus. And to the question “Can we reasonably assess the effects of greenhouse gasses?”, less than a quarter thought we could!

The truth is that the GWAs case is getting weaker day by day, to the extent that the GWAs hero, Al Gore, is now refusing to take part in public debates on the so called global warming “crisis”. (http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=20873 ) Now why do you think that is? Perhaps he’s afraid that someone might mention that his house uses *20 times* the amount of energy as the average US household. (http://www.heartland.org/pdf/20903.pdf )

Answer 2

I remember walking to school in the 70's when I was 6/7 years old. The snow was really deep in the winter-and it lasted. Starting in November, right through to February. In 76' it was the longest, hottest summer I remember!. The two don't go hand-in-hand if there was Global warming, or, climate change.
Today, it seems the Governments of the world are quickly making lots of money for some impending doom scenario that they do not wish to share. If we are to be struck down, our civilisations on the brink of returning to the stone-age, then why put up taxes!?. Why don't they let us spend what we have now!?. Let us enjoy our selves, and make tax concessions for the poor. And not means tested!. Anyone left to moan or whine should be given community service to help the disadvantaged and not the hangers-on!!!.

Answer 3

Global warming leads to ice ages. It's all a connected sequence of events. With the warming, more moisture gets in the air, so much so that thick wet clouds eventually form that essentially block out the warming rays of the sun from hitting the surface of the planet, and, hence, the Earth then gets colder. Here's a really good and brief explanation:
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/globalwarmingforkids.html

Answer 4

I agree. Global warming is a myth and is trumpetted in our ears every time we turn on the Tv or read the papers. It's just yet another excuse for this Government to raise taxes and fill up their coffers so they can then fritter it away . Whenever the media are pre occupied with stories of war,or mass murder,or other catastrophies we don't hear a word about Global Warming, but as soon as they don't have any REAL news to cover .... out comes the old chestnut.... Global warming .ALSO. What happened to Bird Flu ???

Answer 5

I don't understand this myself but am told that golbal warming would actually trigger an ice age. I know it sounds crazy but it has something to do with the melting of the polar ice caps form the global warming causing the ice to chill the ocean waters and raise the water levels. In all seriousness I imagine the former vice president, Al Gore, could explain it. He may have a reference to some web site that would detail it.

Answer 6

Actually, the environmentalists have it partially right. If due to the failure of the water cycle and the increase in radiant energy in the atmosphere related to high levels of small particle aerosol, then there will be a need for heat to be released. As there is an imbalance in the GHG, the heat will not be re-emitted into space and the incoming heat could build up. It appears that the Water Cycle may have broken down. Normally water vapor rising near the equator falls back to the earth as rain near the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern and Tropic of Capricorn in the Soutern Hemispheres. However, during the current warming it appears that most of the water vapor is being transported closer to the poles. This has a tendency to heat the ground near the poles and causes a reduction in rainfall in the temperate zones. It appears that an increase of small particle aerosols have built up and prevents the normal weather cycles in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone. It appears that the small particle aerosols may be causing the atmosphere to heat up high in the atmosphere as well. It is suspected that most of these small particle aerosols are the result of volcanic dust. In the meantime, the ocean still is heating; but, now the heat cannot rise and be re-emitted into space. Recent extreme weather seems to be removing some of the small particles. As the water cycle re-establishes itself and the Ozone levels rebuild there should be less incoming heat. (Currently the heat is primarily concentrated at the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone and is moving towards the poles at high altitudes (roughly in the 16 to 26 km range).) As the incoming heat decreases I expect the current heat to become distributed and the polar effects should be lessened. However, unless the GHG are reduced the added heat plus the entropic heat humans add will not be re-emitted into space quickly enough for the temperatures to fall; however, it should not go up much past a few degrees, if things stabilize. Hopefully, the biological activity should begin to return to normal. It might be necessary to "jump start" a few things; but, other then that it is possible for things to achieve a new balance. We may have to make parasols for reef beds and frog ponds. We may need to fertilize the Sargasso and Kelp beds and inject a little iron oxide in certain areas of the ocean or seed a few upwind cyclonic events. Reducing the small particle aerosols, and CO2 would be a good thing to reestablish former temperature ranges. However, with the increased world population this may not be a reasonable goal. And though most biological life on the planet is optimized for activity in the 50 to 60 deg. F range, an increase of a few degrees are possible. The change is small enough that most can adapt to the few degrees increase. I would expect that as the current generation begins to die out and the "boomer echoes" start to diminish, temperatures may get closer to their former levels; however, with the slight increase in solar activity it may be that the current increase may become the new long term normal. As to the cooling many say might happen there may be some occurring in that the Ocean currents will slow. And with the additional rain and snow fall in the upper latitudes there may cause some concern over global cooling. However, as the rain fall begins to re-establish the normal patterns this additional snow and rain in the upper latitudes should lessen. So what should the world look like in 20 years? If the weather and water cycles return to normal and the small particle aerosols continue to lessen then summer peak temperatures might be a few degress warmer. The polar ice packs might not return to the old levels. But, if the work that has been started regarding the reduction of GHG then it is possible things could balance out. I have incluced a few links regarding the participation of small particle aerosols for you to review for yourself. Right now there is a lot of information that supports both side of your question. However, in the next two to three years I think you will find much better information and a better indication of what the future will bring. Dave Cooke

Answer 7

The "global cooling" stories of the 70s represented a few scientists, not the overwhelming consensus about global warming that exists now. And it was based on little data, not the huge verified database that shows global warming is real and mostly caused by us.

In fact, the few "global cooling" scientists of the 70s are most appropriately compared to the few skeptical scientists now, who have equally little data.

More here about "global cooling":

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=94

Data showing global warming is real here:

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

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

Answer 8

A coming ice age, now thats interesting. We are still in an ice age.

Geographers define an ice age as a period in the earths history when there are polar ice caps. Our current climate is an "Interglacial" period. This does n't mean between ice ages; It is a period within an ice age when the ice retreats.

'Our' "Interglacial Period started 10,000 years ago, in possibly the 4th ice age.

So, the conspiracy is really that they are making you think there is an ice age to come.

Answer 9

An ice age is due but it won't come until global warming has wiped the worst cities from the face of the globe. Then we can be free from their endless reality t.v. shows.

Answer 10

Oh my golly gee wizard this person is a guenious! If the weather is cold, and global warming comes, it wouldn't be as hot as global warming, but mild. Smart idea! Happy Easter!
~123321