How can we be sure global warming isnt just a natural phase of the earth?

Question

Ok this was something i have been discussing with some friends for a while and here is my theory. The temperature is rising thus making the ice caps melt. The melting of the ice caps makes a larger surface are of water on the surface of the planet. The larger surface area creates greater evaporation and more clouds. the clouds block the sun thus making cooler tempuratures on the surface of the planet. from these temperautres the surpless of water still on the earth starts to freeze and since the clouds still block the sun the ice doesnt melt, therefor we have reached another ice age. What?! an ice age you say its happend before? wow it has hasnt it. see i think this global warming is a natural way of the earth to replenish itself after so many years of growth. so what are ever one elses thoughts on this?

Answer 1

We can't. In fact global warming and global cooling have happened many times in the Earth's history. That is what ice ages are. We are not yet, and will not be any time soon, as warm as several past periods in geological history. In the time of the dinosaurs all the polar ice melted. No scientist is even trying to claim that our CO2 emissions will melt ALL the polar ice.

We ARE adding to the CO2 in the air though, and something should probably be done to reduce that, but not to the point of making people give up cars or whatever. Don't ruin the economy so that we can save the economy. Because global warming is not any threat to life on Earth, only a possible threat to the economy. And even that I doubt, because global cooling would cause much more trouble for humanity than global warming. Give me 5 degrees warmer instead of 5 degrees cooler, assuming I can't have the same temperature forever, which we know we can't, even in the absence of any human population on Earth.

Answer 2

Your reasoning is flawed for two reasons. First, water vapour is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere - increasing it will not necessarily cause cooling. Second, oceans are black(ish), ice is white - when polar caps melt the ocean areas absorb far more heat as a result.

But on your main point, it is indeed very hard to know if the warming phase is natural, man made or a mix, or even if it will be sustained long term. However, whatever the cause we need to be prepared. Some 40% of the world's population lives in coastal areas at risk of climate change if temperatures continue to rise at the rate observed in the last 30 years.

Answer 3

Yes, measured temperatures show that climate change goes through cycles of Ice Ages and Intergalacial Periods. Right now, we are in an Intergalacial Period. These two periods are caused by, not CO2, but the sun, which also goes through cycles of greater and lesser activity. This warming trend is no more dramatic than they have been in the past. All this "carbon dioxide emissions are killing the planet" is a complete lie. Carbon dioxide is a WEAK greenhouse gas, and the 3% of the total amount that we have put in the atmosphere cannot possiby have that much of an effect.

Answer 4

The environmentalist have named 2 gases as the worst green house gases and the first is CO2 . That is very ignorant as GOD put plants here to recycle our air by a process of photosynthesis . And The plants are doing a great job.
Then that bad gas methane . Methane is a very light gas and will go very high in our atmosphere . Now did the environmentalist measure the amount of methane ,actually they calculated what they wanted it to be. Well I don't know where the methane is because I can not find the methane ,what have they done with it???
If the green house gas that are supposed to be so bad isn't there neither is global warming.

Answer 5

The planet's climate varies based on the tilt of the poles and it's orbit around the sun.
Yes, global warming can happen. Any release of massive amounts of CO2 and other gases will cause this. What do you think would happen if large swaths of algae were to suddenly die?
And yes, Just as easily as a massive layer of volcanic dust will lower our temperature.

You answered your own question really.
Humans have a unique status of being able to artificially influence how the atmosphere is affected.

Answer 6

Good question. I remember being taught back in grade school 50 years ago, that the north pole tilts closer to the sun every year. It was anticipated that the ice caps would start melting simply from the gradual changes in the earth's orbit. Now everybody is trying to blame it on humans. Bull, I say!

Answer 7

RE:GOD put plants here to recycle our air with plants and photosynthesis. Look it up the plants are doing a great job.

when plants decay, they relece all the carbon they absorbed.
if god did anything, he stored all that execs carbon in layers of rock deep in the earth. it was convenient until we had to drill it up.