Why do people think that global warming is real?

Question

I know global warming is real. I just dont think humans caused it. I took the time to watch All Gores movie The Inconvient Truth and Global Warming, The Great Swindle. Watch Global Warming, The Great Swindle and post if you sill beilieve in global warming. This video is located on google videos.

Answer 1

Right, I've seen it and still believe that anthropogenic global climate change is real, what do I win? I've seen the Great Global Warming Swindle twice now (I watched it once and thought it was unscientific and propagandaish, and I watched it the second time because I was told I hadn't been objective when I saw it the first time, and came away feeling exactly the same way). However I, unlike you, actually took the time to research the claims made by the film, and quickly found that every one of them was complete and utter garbage, and that the film had not one single ounce of scientific credibility.

Now I would love to go through the film, point by point, and refute it for you. But I have a feeling that you have no intention of ever being persuaded to change your mind on this and thus doing so would be a waste of my time. Feel free to message me if you (contrary to what I currently believe) are actually interested in the science behind global warming theory and actually want to know if the science is sound or not.

In the meantime, here are one or two links (that you'll very probably never click) disproving the whole film for you.

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

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/03/swindled-carl-wunsch-responds/

(RealClimate is a Blog run by fifteen highly qualified climate scientists who are, unlike the "scientists" in TGGWS, actually publishing peer reviewed papers and actively doing research in the field. So you can lay any doubts you may have about the site's credibility to rest)

Answer 2

Humans have definitely caused global warming. Industrial pollution has been a major factor and if you smell the fumes from any car from the 1980s or older you cannot possibly believe they have no effect on the environment.

The waste product of the industrial age is carbon dioxide in volumes that plants cannot possibly overcome. This has caused the ice at the polar caps to seriously erode as it melts away. There is no reason to believe that this would happen as fast as it has in the last fifty or so years, since the Earth does not change that fast in 100 years.

Take care,
Troy

Answer 3

I've seen both several times but more importantly, I know the background to both of them so can separate fact from fiction.

You'll accuse me of bieng biased but the bottom line is that 'Swindle' was produced with the objective of causing controversy. The producer (Martin Durkin), has made a series of several similar films with the objective of causing controversy, other films include such discredited subjects as promoting the use of breast implants. He's a film-maker and not an expert on any of the subjects he covers, he is neither qualified nor experienced to speak on them - not that it stops him.

You can actually e-mail the producer yourself care of the TV company (gw at wagtv.com) and he'll tell you the programme is - in his own words - "nonsense, a piece of irresponsible film-making". Also, do a Google search for either "Martin Durkin" or "The Greeat Global Warming Swindle" and get the real truth behind the programme.

The boradcaster (Channel 4 TV in the UK) has been ordered to make a public aplogy because of Durkin's work, the scientists involved are incensed, some are taking legal action, he's got judgements against him for distortion, misrepresentation and selective editing. In short, not a reliable source of information by any stretch of the imagination.

An Inconvenient Truth, although not perfect, is at least based on proven scientific facts and the statements made in the film are backed up with reliable data that is largely accepted by the scientific community around the world.

The bottom line is that 'Swindle' is 99% nonsense and 1% fact whereas 'Truth' is 1% nonsense and 99% fact. Unfortunatley those who seek to refute global warming round on the two or three questionable parts of 'Truth' whilst ignoring the many hundreds of other statements that are made.

As for wether I still beleive in global warming after watching both films - neither changed my mind. The only thing it demonstrated was the levels of desparation that the skeptics will go to.

Answer 4

It doesn't take rocket science to see the obvious. Man has dominated man to his own injury. Go to any major city around the world look outside your airplane window as you are ready to land and what do you see a blanket of thick nasty smog that sure didn't appear on its own!?! Every year the weather changes drastically summers begin in the
spring and its even snowing in the summer!!

Studies and statics have shown that the frequency of natural disasters such as Hurricanes are stronger and more prevalent, don't believe me just turn on your local news or read a newspaper. With population of over 6 Billion in the world its common sense that humans have caused this great adversity of Global Warming their is a need for housing, natural resources and employment. Who else could have caused this dilemma dogs and cats?!?!?

Answer 5

First of all, People thinking "The Greenhouse Effect" is bad for our world, means they are uneducated and blind. "The Greenhouse Effect" is what keeps us alive. Here's why:

1. "The Greenhouse Effect" Acts like an enourmous blanket that covers the world. It keeps heat from the sun IN so that it will not bounce off of the earth's surface and back into space. If that happened, temperatures at night would be around -500 Degrees Celsius. We all know that would pretty much kill everything on earth. So if there is no "Greenhouse Effect" we would all freeze to death.

2. Although there are many more CFC's in the air then there were 80 years ago, it has shown no effect on the earths temperature. If the exact truth were spoken, it would sounds like this,
"The Earth's temperature has wiggled its way up 1 more degree than normal. (We don't even really know what normal is) over the last 20 years."

That may sound bad, but it's 1 degree. 20 years ago, people were saying we were hurtling ourselves into another Ice Age.

Answer 6

I am a life scientist who has been following the "global warming story" for 10 years, long before it was popular. Let's not call it global warming- let's call it human induced global climate change. It's not a myth, it's not a conspiracy. Instead of reading a one-sided web site, set your computer to subscribe to NASA'a daily earth and climate news feeds. Watch worldwide agricultural reports. Start calculating, now, the numbers involved with the impending water crises and salination of farmland. How many people subsist on fish and seafood? How do you quantify the loss of 25% or more of the world's species? How do you justify, to your grandchildren, not preparing for their sustained future?

Answer 7

It's real all right, its just that your government "The Bush-itters" tell you its not a real problem.
They say its a natural event, and humans have nothing to do with it.
Well wake up, cause climate changes are occuring now and not in 100 years from now.
Just one really hot day is enough to evaporate so much water into the atmostphear that the effect of that extremely hot day will be felt the next day somewhere else on the planet.
So todays happenings are tomorows consecuences..
Is tha real enough for you.........?

Answer 8

Global warming is real, as you said. The preponderance of evidence (according to most scientists) is that humans are contributing to it. Yes, some scientists disagree, but they are in the minority. Let's put that aside for a moment.

Let me ask you some questions: Why WOULDN'T we do what we can to NOT contribute? (The exceptions being religious types who believe in / want to see the battle of Armageddon, or industries whose profits depend upon it.) Did you know that in the oceans, for example, many species have a tolerance of within only a few degrees? Would you choose to lcontinue to let them die off if we can help prevent it? Aren't some things, such as preseving the wonderful variety of life on our beautiful planet, worth effort and some sacrifice? Can you see that global warming is part of the bigger picture of how we humans are making this planet a less beautiful and wonderful place, for the "supposed" benefit of our single species?

Answer 9

I believe that global warming is real. Haven't we noticed the sudden changes in our world? Humans are being held responsible and for a reason, I must agree. We have been polluting the earth with harmful chemicals which resulted in the green house effect. The green house effect is just one of the reasons the world is getting warmer.

Answer 10

Global warming is real, their has been a climate shift, on one is debating if it is real or not. The question that is being debated is if it is caused by human cause, or if it is a natural cycle of the earth's climate, their is strong evidence for both.