Is global warming a reversible process?

Answer 1

No one's ever been able to before. Did you know that for a lot of the earth's history there were no polar ice caps and it was much much warmer than today? I wonder if the dinosaurs before us sat around worrying about global cooling, terrified of the day the climate would be as it is now.

Answer 2

Yes it is. Small scale experiments have already been trialed and shown to work, if they were implemented on a large scale we could reverse global warming.

One of the things about global warming is that it's a slow process to bring to a halt. It's a bit like a freight train, you apply the brakes but it just keeps on going until eventually it comes to a halt, until you've reached that point you can't put things into reverse.

The greenhouse gases are already in the atmosphere and contributing to GW, some of them will stay there forever, carbon dioxide will stay there for 115 years, methane for 12 years, water vapour for 4 days. Even if we reduced our emissions to zero it will be decades before the gases already in the atmosphere dissipate and global warming returns to it's underlying natural level.

Several schemes that are being looked into work on the principle of removing excess greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, this can be done using chemical, mechanical or natural processes. One of the easiest things to do is to plant more trees (the right trees in the right place), these remove CO2 from the atmosphere, enough of them could start to make a noticeable effect.

There's more about geoengineering (climate engineering) here http://profend.com/global-warming/pages/combat.html#4 and about carbon offsetting here http://profend.com/global-warming/pages/combat.html#5

If you're interested in watching a 60 minute programme about reversing global warming then follow this link - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=286000425078890061

Answer 3

In the case of the current global warming trend,yes. A naturalwarming might not be reversible, but remember, this one is caused by our technology--mainly our use of fossil fuels.

By shifting to non-polluting systems of energy production, we can eliminate all or most of the CO2 emissions. Then, even if we can't devise means of removing the CO2 from the atmosphere, we'll at least keep it from getting worse--and the excess CO2 will break down eventually--though that will take decades.

So--yes. Not quickly, but we can reverse the global warming.

Answer 4

Scientists use the term "global warming" to describe the rise in Earth’s average temperature caused by increased atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping “greenhouse gases,” or global warming pollution.

Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas; destroying forests; and a range of other activities emit carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants. These pollutants remain in the atmosphere for more than a century, trapping heat that would otherwise radiate into space, much the same way that glass traps heat in a greenhouse. Scientists predict that as society continues to emit these heat-trapping gases, higher temperatures will be accompanied by an increase in extreme weather events such as torrential rainfalls that can lead to flooding, and droughts that result in drinking water shortages and crop losses, as well as a rise in the global sea level. Even though the first signs already are apparent, a sharp reduction of greenhouse gas pollution could significantly slow and help prevent the worst effects of global warming.

The loss of sea ice is one of the most ominous signs that global warming may be triggering “feedbacks” within the climate system that will speed up the warming process. If the ice sheets surrounding Greenland and Antarctica melt, sea levels would rise by more than 30 feet. It would take more than 1000 years to replace them. Scientists now believe that if global temperatures increase by just a few degrees more, it will be impossible to prevent their disappearance.
So it is clear that it is an irreversible process.

Answer 5

Yes. At the local level, every individual adopts an attitude and a lifestyle that is environment friendly. For example, use bikes or walk instead of travelling by carbon-fuel based vehicles such as cars and motorbikes. This reduces your carbon footprint that indicates the amount of carbon your daily activities produces. The greater the carbon footprint, the greater is the level of global warming and the dangers that stem from it like like floods and droughts. The smaller the carbon footprint, the lower is the level of global warming.
An extreme method to reverse global warming is global cooling. This is brought about by the blocking of sunlight from reaching the earth's surface. Nature has done this. In 1815 the world's largest volcanic eruption in recorded history happened on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, east of Bali. In Sumbawa alone 117,000 lives perished from the eruption that is far greater than the more famous eruption of Krakatau (Krakatoa) between Sumatra and Java in 1883. Mount Tambora in Sumbawa spewed out 100 cubic kilometers of magma. Along with the emission 400 million tons of sulphuric acid that worked as a stratospheric aerosol, the combined airborne material from the eruption decreased the amount of solar energy to the earth's surface This drastically shortened the growing season in 1816 in the world's farm areas and led to crop failures, notably in Northern America and Europe where records are kept. The outcome was worldwide food shortages and a surge in the price of foodstuffs. In Europe alone 200,000 died from starvation. The global cooling lasted for three years.

Answer 6

Most people believe that global warming is caused by the "green house affect" due to the excess carbon dioxide gasses build-up in our atmosphere. But there is another reason that has not been given much consideration..........
Our sun is in the process of dying. While this is happening our sun must expand before its collapse. This expansion will reach far beyond the reaches of the planet earth.... Consuming everything in its path. So, no there is not much we can do other than rehabitating another planet.

Answer 7

If pollution is effectivey curbed by afforestration extensively, by implementation of the measures that arrest pollution strictly by all countries, reduction in the usage of harmful chemicals, use of environmentely products, take measures to reduce carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere, then it may undo the damage to some extent to the environment. In consequence, global warming may not be contained, it may arrest further warming.

Answer 8

Evolution is a fact, Global warming is a changing fact, the earths has warming periods, the sun has cycles which affect the earth's climate, man made Global warming is a political agenda driven myth.

Answer 9

it is reversible

but not by the mankind...
Nature will take care of it.. Because humans as a part of environment.. they are playing their part
If you literally think Human can effect It can be
But in reality It can never happen..
you can plant a tree ...
But as the population grows up.. It requires more land for shelter... so If you tally the number of trees planted and number of trees unplugged.. the second on is always will be at high because We Need it..
so Practically humans cannot positively affect the global warming..

Nature is the only one force That has to take care of herself by balancing the ecosystem... This is the results now a days we are able to see in form of floods, diseases, sunami, which are due to changing in atmosphere both externally and internally of the earth ....

Answer 10

The man made part can probably be reversed, though it will take a very long time. At least attempts must be made to arrest it where we are now.

The problem is that when the perma frost melts, trapped methane will be released this has ten times higher green house gas effect than carbon dioxide. That may be irreversible.