What do you think about global warming?

Question

Do you think it's real? Do you think it's caused by humans? Do you think the whole thing is a joke?

Answer 1

Real. Mostly caused by us. Not my opinion. Here's proof (but you'll need to read the links):

This is science and what counts is the data.

"I wasn’t convinced by a person or any interest group—it was the data that got me. I was utterly convinced of this connection between the burning of fossil fuels and climate change. And I was convinced that if we didn’t do something about this, we would be in deep trouble.”

Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly, USN (Ret.)
Former NASA Administrator, Shuttle Astronaut and the first Commander of the Naval Space Command

Here are two summaries of the mountain of peer reviewed data that convinced Admiral Truly and the vast majority of the scientific community, short and long.

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png
http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html
summarized at:
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

It's (mostly) not the sun:

http://solar-center.stanford.edu/sun-on-earth/FAQ2.html

And the first graph above shows that the sun is responsible for about 10% of it. When someone says it's the sun they're saying that thousands of climatologists are stupid and don't look at the solar data. That's ridiculous.

Science is quite good about exposing bad science or hoaxes:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/ATG/polywater.html

There's a large number of people who agree that it is real and mostly caused by us, who are not liberals, environmentalists, stupid, or conceivably part of a "conspiracy". Just three examples of many:

"Global warming is real, now, and it must be addressed."

Lee Scott, CEO, Wal-Mart

"Our nation has both an obligation and self-interest in facing head-on the serious environmental, economic and national security threat posed by global warming."

Senator John McCain, Republican, Arizona

“DuPont believes that action is warranted, not further debate."

Charles O. Holliday, Jr., CEO, DuPont

There's a lot less controversy about this is the real world than there is on Yahoo answers:

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/home_page/329.php?nid=&id=&pnt=329&lb=hmpg1

And vastly less controversy in the scientific community than you might guess from the few skeptics talked about here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686

"There's a better scientific consensus on this [climate change] than on any issue I know... Global warming is almost a no-brainer at this point. You really can't find intelligent, quantitative arguments to make it go away."

Dr. Jerry Mahlman, NOAA

Good websites for more info:

http://profend.com/global-warming/
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn11462
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/
http://www.realclimate.org
"climate science from climate scientists"

Answer 2

Is it real? Sure, it's real. Only an idiot would deny the Earth is warming. That's not the issue.

Is it cause by humans? No. Global warming is a natural cycles that has been going on for thousands of years. It is caused by the sun, not CO2. If you look closely, you'll see that CO2 actually follows temperature by a lag of 800 years. Oh, and if we were causing it, what's the deal with Mars? Mars is currently warming too. Is Bush polluting Mars or something? I don't even see how that's possible.

Is it a joke? Technically, no. Global warming is a serious issue not because of what it could do to our environment, but what it could do to our intelligence, economy, and how we could all by controlled by a small group of people. Those like Al Gore who preach about global warming aren't believers. They're Stalinists. If they aren't stopped, I don't know what will happen.

Answer 3

1) 24 years as a climatologist tells me that it's very real.

2) The present warming is largely anthropogenic with an underlying natural warming trend. Remove the human factor and the planet is still warming but at a fraction of it's current rate.

3) Not a joke. It's been a scientific fact for over 100 years, only since it became a political issue has the controversy begun. However, it's worth noting the controversy is not amongst the experts but from those with limited knowledge of the subject.

Answer 4

Yes it is global warming. Even though the Earth's temperature has risen since it cooled, the emissions of greenhouse gases has created a blanket that has warmed the Earth. it's what is used to grow crops in the winter. Let's face it. Oil needs to be used but not at this excessive rate. Use Electric cars. Not only does oil harm the eco, it's the main reason the middle east is in this state of war. Why do you think America went to Iraq or hates iran. The main reason is for power. The government doesn't care about terrorism hell the 9/11 victims. They marketed 9/11 and terrorism to go get oil. Yes it is a human problem because of development, overpopulation and laziness.

Answer 5

Global warming is a catch all phrase used by political hacks who have an agenda. There has been general warming for thousands of years. In the 1960s and 1970s there was a period of cooling. Since then, it has warmed. These little periods are not important in the overall trend. It has been warming since the last period of glaciation nearly 10,000 years ago. Those that pretend there is no warming are ignorant of the facts. Those that pretend to know that humans are responsible for warming are also ignorant of the facts and generally cherry pick facts to fit their agenda.

Answer 6

Ever wonder why no one has "to think" about the Sun's distance from the Earth, or the speed of light?

These are facts, things that anyone can prove and verify with a little time and desire to do so.

Only "global warming" has to be "thought about" since it can't be proved by anybody. This is why a "consensus" is needed to vote on if it's caused by man or not. The facts can't speak for themselves.

Answer 7

Why does it matter what I think? youdo not know me therefore you can have no respect for my opinion.

Why don't you spend some time googling for a few facts from a broad range of sources; that way the conspiracy theorists and invested intersts should be balanced out. The topic is obviously of some interest to you, why don't you get an opinion you can justify with a bit of research?

Answer 8

Global warming is reponsible for the climate change which we are experiensing today. climate depends largely on temperature which controls precipitation (rainfall) and desertification and consequently draught. It is real.

Yes humans contribute to global warming through their activities that lead to accumulation or emission of green house gases eg CO2, methane etc. such activities as use of energy etc. there are other contributors that are due to natural actvities.

No its not a joke. it is a global emergency.

Answer 9

yeah... we hav to prevent pollution......................ofcourse it is caused by th e humans........................