Do you think evidence from ice cores disproves man made global warming?

Question

Some people point to the fact that pre-human data from ice cores show that a rise in CO2 levels follows a rise in temperature. The temperature then continues to rise for the next few thousand years. They are right to question this. Let me explain why it is significant to what is happening now.

This is what is known as a positive feedback - the temperature rise (part of the natural cycle) causes CO2 to be released from its disolved state in the oceans - the rise in CO2 then accelerates warming further (this has also been proven). The magnitude of the subequent warming seen in ice cores can ONLY be explained by inclusion of the greenhouse effect of CO2.

The important thing to see here is that increased CO2 in the atmosphere DOES cause warming - although it is not the only factor, and in previous occurances the release of CO2 has been caused by the earth warming, not the other way around (as part of its natural cycle).

But right now we humans are causing something completely unatural that has never happened before - we are burning fossil fuel at an amazing rate - releasing CO2 into the atmosphere which would otherwise have stayed locked up under the ground in the form of oil, coal and gas. This has caused concentrations of CO2 to now be way higher that ever before in human history. The world IS now warming - nobody disputes that.

Now since a warming world has been shown to cause increased CO2 which then will cause more warming, how is even more CO2 in the atmosphere, due to our pollution going to affect the natural cycle?? Well, the truth is, nobody knows for sure, so maybe we should perhaps just try to reduce our impact on this natural cycle?? rather than just hoping it will all turn out ok. what do you think?

Jon - what are you on about? I'm talking about DISproving - which is very much a part of scientific method (although not true in this case)

Cainsaw - this whole post is about the fact that CO2 increase come after warming - at least in the past it has. Did you read it at all??

GABY - have a look at www.realclimate.com

Negeshia - no, that's NOT what I am saying. I am saying we do not know what is going to happen yet because we are in a situation which has never happened before. Procede with caution is what I am saying.

crabby blindguy - Er - did you read to the end or did you just comment based on the first few lines - I believe that humans are having an effect on global warming - I am simply trying to put into laypersons terms the reason why ice core evidence shows CO2 rise has occured after the start of global warming in the past. If you bothered to read to the end you would have seen that. ********.

Answer 1

It is great to have that learning. It will cause me to rethink the issue.

Answer 2

Excellent question and supporting documentation, although I am certain the communists will call you a liar, that is how they argue science.

Day before yesterday the Senate voted against a bill addressing Global Warming, but what is significant are the scientists who are bailing out by the hundreds, and at that rate in a week or two no scientist will be on the global warming bandwagon.

Read what the scientists themselves say about it.

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=c5e16731-3c64-481c-9a36-d702baea2a42

pretty soon it will only be comrade gore up there talking about hot air.

Answer 3

Thank you. A very good question for ligitimate debate. I wish the news media and hollywood would be willing to present this important question in this manner instead of just repeating what one side of the debate says.

I agree that the globe is warming. I am just not convinced yet that the relatively small amount man make is enough to alter nature. On top of that, we in the US may ruin our economy by cutting ours in half, and find out it didn't chage a thing because the rest of the world is polluting more than we are.

I nned more facts and analysis.

Answer 4

After 50 years of extreme study practically all the international's scientists have mutually stated that they believe the present international warming and unique spike in greenhouse gases is man made. Fox information, Rush Limbaugh, and different conservatives are making a good stand in comparison. Even president Bush has conceded that international warming is a actuality. quite a few oil agencies have employed some rogue scientists to rebuke the consensus. Will technology be properly suited? i think of they have put in the extra suitable attempt at understanding the reason. a minimum of people who oppose them at the instant are agreeing the the earth is warming up. a minimum of maximum of people who oppose them.

Answer 5

So what you are saying is that Global warming/cooling is part of a cycle and all we have done is speed up the warming part of the cycle. At some point we will reach a C02 saturation point at which time the cooling cycle will begin. As has happened before?

Answer 6

Anyone who actually KNOWS anything about science knows this--you've said nothing new--except you got some of it wrong. Also--IF you knew anything about the science, you'd know that scientists considered this--and a wide array of other possiblenatural causes for the current global warming and found they were not the cause.

More to the point, your arguement comes down to saying that because there are natural causes to global warming, it can't be caused by humans.

That is exactly the same as claiming that because a forest fire can becaused by natural events, such as lightening, it can't be caused by careless campers.

Which is totally asinine.

Answer 7

The CO2 is but one variable.

Get a clue, folks.

We're dumping more garbage into the atmosphere than this one item.

And the fact that we're stirring it all up with thousands of jet aircraft every hour of the day isn't helping.

Do some more detailed research on the subject.

Answer 8

It is simpler than this. We were at least once in an ice age. We got out by natural means, long before cars.

Actually, CO2 increases comes after warming. See the Glen Beck special on it.

Answer 9

It doesn't disprove it, This study does however present logical reasons why the Earth's temperature fluctuates without any human involvement. That proves that climate change can (& has) occured without human activity, but does not prove that human activity can not be a factor. My educated guess is that human activity is negligible.

Answer 10

I have to stop thinking about how rising global temperatures are going to soon impact my way of life here in the Northwest.

It's just simply too much of a burden for me to contemplate at the moment. :0)

Answer 11

None. They want you to believe that man didn't create global warming. Study heavy jet fuel and the thousands of jets that are in the sky and land every 2 seconds. Study chem trails. You'll see why the atmosphere is warming. It's maddening.