What is Global Warming?

Question

Also, what is the cause and how to prevent it? Detailed answers suggested.

Answer 1

Alarmist Global Warming Claims Melt

Under Scientific Scrutiny ---

By James M. Taylor --- Chicago Sun-Times --- 30 June 07

In his new book, The Assault on Reason, Al Gore pleads, "We must stop
tolerating the rejection and distortion of science. We must insist on an end
to the cynical use of pseudo-studies known to be false for the purpose of
intentionally clouding the public's ability to discern the truth." Gore
repeatedly asks that science and reason displace cynical political posturing
as the central focus of public discourse.

If Gore really means what he writes, he has an opportunity to make a
difference by leading by example on the issue of global warming.

A cooperative and productive discussion of global warming must be open and
honest regarding the science. Global warming threats ought to be studied and
mitigated, and they should not be deliberately exaggerated as a means of
building support for a desired political position.

Many of the assertions Gore makes in his movie, ''An Inconvenient Truth,''
have been refuted by science, both before and after he made them. Gore can
show sincerity in his plea for scientific honesty by publicly acknowledging
where science has rebutted his claims.

For example, Gore claims that Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and global
warming is to blame. Yet the September 2006 issue of the American
Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate reported, "Glaciers are growing
in the Himalayan Mountains, confounding global warming alarmists who
recently claimed the glaciers were shrinking and that global warming was to
blame."

Gore claims the snowcap atop Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro is shrinking and that
global warming is to blame. Yet according to the November 23, 2003, issue of
Nature magazine, "Although it's tempting to blame the ice loss on global
warming, researchers think that deforestation of the mountain's foothills is
the more likely culprit. Without the forests' humidity, previously
moisture-laden winds blew dry. No longer replenished with water, the ice is
evaporating in the strong equatorial sunshine."

Gore claims global warming is causing more tornadoes. Yet the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated in February that there has
been no scientific link established between global warming and tornadoes.

Gore claims global warming is causing more frequent and severe hurricanes.
However, hurricane expert Chris Landsea published a study on May 1
documenting that hurricane activity is no higher now than in decades past.
Hurricane expert William Gray reported just a few days earlier, on April 27,
that the number of major hurricanes making landfall on the U.S. Atlantic
coast has declined in the past 40 years. Hurricane scientists reported in
the April 18 Geophysical Research Letters that global warming enhances wind
shear, which will prevent a significant increase in future hurricane
activity.

Gore claims global warming is causing an expansion of African deserts.
However, the Sept. 16, 2002, issue of New Scientist reports, "Africa's
deserts are in 'spectacular' retreat . . . making farming viable again in
what were some of the most arid parts of Africa."

Gore argues Greenland is in rapid meltdown, and that this threatens to raise
sea levels by 20 feet. But according to a 2005 study in the Journal of
Glaciology, "the Greenland ice sheet is thinning at the margins and growing
inland, with a small overall mass gain." In late 2006, researchers at the
Danish Meteorological Institute reported that the past two decades were the
coldest for Greenland since the 1910s.

Gore claims the Antarctic ice sheet is melting because of global warming.
Yet the Jan. 14, 2002, issue of Nature magazine reported Antarctica as a
whole has been dramatically cooling for decades. More recently, scientists
reported in the September 2006 issue of the British journal Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society Series A: Mathematical, Physical, and
Engineering Sciences, that satellite measurements of the Antarctic ice sheet
showed significant growth between 1992 and 2003. And the U.N. Climate Change
panel reported in February 2007 that Antarctica is unlikely to lose any ice
mass during the remainder of the century.

Each of these cases provides an opportunity for Gore to lead by example in
his call for an end to the distortion of science. Will he rise to the
occasion? Only time will tell.

Answer 2

Global Warming is the rising of the world's temperatures. The cause of Global Warming is man-made greenhouse gases, such as CO2 and methane. Global Warming can be prevented by observing conservation of energy, and being careful not to produce such a large amount of greenhouse gases. Global warming has potentially dangerous effects, such as the melting of major glaciers. Now, this may not sound like a bad thing, but the melting glaciers cause sea levels to rise, thus making the sea consume coastal land. Because of this, people's homes will be destroyed and many (millions upon millions of people) will have to be relocated. Because of the high concentration of people, many will die due to the lack of food, water, shelter, and other means necessary for life.

Because of the warmer temperatures, disease-carrying mosquitoes and parasites will thrive, making the human population very sick. Some of these diseases, such as malaria and the West Nile Virus, are deadly and highly contagious.

Global Warming is a very serious issue. Something needs to be done now to stop its deadly effects.

Answer 3

Global warming is one-half of the climatic cycle of warming and cooling.
The earth's mean temperature cycles around the freezing point of water.
This is a completely natural phenomenon which has been going on since there has been water on this planet. It is driven by the sun.
Our planet is currently emerging from a 'mini ice age', so is becoming warmer and may return to the point at which Greenland is again usable as farmland (as it has been in recorded history).
As the polar ice caps decrease, the amount of fresh water mixing with oceanic water will slow and perhaps stop the thermohaline cycle (the oceanic heat 'conveyor' which, among other things, keeps the U.S. east coast warm).
When this cycle slows/stops, the planet will cool again and begin to enter another ice age.
It's been happening for millions of years.
Humans did not cause it.
Humans cannot stop it.
Worry about other things that you can DO something about.

Answer 4

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation.

You will also find helpful information in the documentary an inconvenient truth by Al Gore. Is really interesting.

There is also concerts around the world to stop global warming the concerts will be held on 7-7-07 .

Answer 5

Global warming is a bit of a misnomer.

Usually when the term global warming is used it is meant to mean anthropogenic climate change. The reason that the term climate change is preferable to "global warming" is that not all impacts from increased retention of energy in the earth system are realized as warming. Other aspects of the system, e.g. the hydrologic cycle, can also be influenced and a physical change in temperature may not necessarily be measured.

Answer 6

Global Warming is when the average teperature on the surface of the earth increases. It is mostly notice where it is normally very cold because the glaciers melt. This happens from the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is called a green house gas because is traps heat inside the atmosphere. Which warms the earth

Answer 7

GLOBAL WARMING- the relative proportion of gasesafeect hthe balance between the amount of energy received and that reflected from the earth back into space thereby changing the average temperature. it has been observed that in the recent past the level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increaseed from 290ppm to 330ppm . at this rate the rise in the carbon dioxide content will be doubled by 2020 which will result in the rise of global temperature causing what has been termed has the green house effect or global warming. in this heat is received but not radiated out.
CAUSES- deforestation & excessive burning of fossil fuels
EFFECTS- a rise in global temperature by more than two or three degrees may lead to melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, flooding of low lying coastal plains , e.g.- bangladesh, lakshwdeep, andaman & nicobar islands etc. increase in the flow of rivers and change in rainfall pattern and possible submersion of islands. all this would affect the productivity of agricultural crops.
PREVENTION- afforestation & avoiding burning of fuels

Answer 8

Well there are things you can do to help reduce the amount of harm you are causing the enviroment, you can do this by offsetting your carbon on websites such as; www.co2debt.com . On these sites you are able to prevent climate change by funding ethical reforestation projects. I personally found that www.co2debt.com was the best site for this because of their strong relationships with other non-profit organizations

Answer 9

Huge amounts of details in the links.

Some gases ("greenhouse gases") let sunlight in, which warms the Earth, and then block that heat from leaving. That's the "greenhouse effect", and it's a natural thing, mostly caused by water vapor.

Man is making excessive amounts of greenhouse gases, mostly by burning fossil fuels. That causes the delicate natural balance to go out of whack and the Earth warms. That's global warming.

It won't be a Hollywood style disaster. Gradually coastal areas will flood and agriculture will be damaged. But it will be very bad. Rich countries will cope, but it will take huge amounts of money. In poor countries many people will die of starvation, but not all of them.

Most scientists say, in 20-50 years. But we need to start right now to fix it, fixing it will take even longer than that.

Lots of numerical scientific data proving it real here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

How to reduce it here:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,481085,00.html
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM040507.pdf

All the information you could want here:

http://profend.com/global-warming/

Answer 10

I just read about this site from the wall street journal. It's called the Carbon Diet Plan, which lists ways to improve one's ecological profile "and provides inspiration for your friends to do the same."