Is Climate change attributable to humanity, or is it just happening?

Question

The climate of the Earth has always changed throughout history, is the current trend caused by humanity, or is it just happening because it always has happened?

No 'god' answers please.

Answer 1

Co2 has increased from 280 ppm (parts per million) to 360ppm this century. This is an increase of just 80ppm or 0.008%.

The Sun's output has gotten 0.1% warmer durring the same time.

What do you think has the greater cause for warming the planet, a 0.008% increase of what you exhale, or a 0.1% increase in the power of the Sun?

Answer 2

World Governments have set up a panel of experts (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) to answer this question and their answer is clear. Mankind is presently causing global warming and mankind can stop it.

It is true that global warming and cooling has occurred naturally in the past but the experts have found that without the Greenhouse Gases emitted by human activity, the world would probably be getting cooler at present rather than warmer. They say "During the past 50 years, the sum of solar and volcanic forcings would likely have produced cooling." Dr Jelo, please take note.

It is important that we recognise that we are the cause because we can then do something about it. The IPCC is setting out what needs to be done to minimise and slow global warming and to prepare for the effects but the longer we delay taking these actions the more difficult and expensive they become.

We need to take action individually (reduce energy consumption e.g. petrol) and press Governments to take action too.

Answer 3

OK for a simple answer for a simple question. Think of the 'normal' cycles of change in the climate as something like being in a canoe. It can tip back and forth in the waves without flipping over,but if the tipping is increased just a bit,the canoe will flip. Climate swings back and forth,and now humans are adding to that in ways that will bring about what is called the tipping point! Pay no attention to flimsy claims of how hot or cold it used to be on Earth in the distant past. All that matters now is how the climate WILL change due to our influence on pollution that causes global warming.

Answer 4

The current warming is primarily due to human greenhouse gas emissions.

It's not due to the Sun or volcanoes. According to the most recent IPCC summary just released on Saturday:

"During the past 50 years, the sum of solar and volcanic forcings would likely have produced cooling."

'Likely' means a greater than 67% probability.

http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf

According to the Earth's natural orbital cycles, we should be in the middle of a cooling period right now.

"An often-cited 1980 study by Imbrie and Imbrie determined that 'Ignoring anthropogenic and other possible sources of variation acting at frequencies higher than one cycle per 19,000 years, this model predicts that the long-term cooling trend which began some 6,000 years ago will continue for the next 23,000 years.'"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitch_cycle

The only way to account for the recent warming is for 80-90% of the warming over the past 30 years to be due to human greenhouse gas emissions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png

Answer 5

What got here first the hen or the egg, acceptable? The planet has been scientifically defined with the aid of carbon courting to bypass with the aid of ranges. Scientist have it locked down that interior the final a million million years we've had 10 "ice a while" unfold greater or less calmly each and every one hundred,000 years. The era of of heat temperature, while the ice caps recede final greater or less 20,000 years (that is greater or less the quantity of time we've had our caps receding). in case you have been to look a chart of the carbon courting records of the Earth's climactic temperature you will possibly see very clean and probable unnerving result. merely previous to the start of an "ice age" there's a spike in worldwide heat temperature. The Earth's organic greenhouse kicks in and the climate starts to warmth up. The unanswered question (no longer spoke back by way of fact there is not any concrete records to assist the two area) is regardless of if the international heat temperature is a organic by potential of manufactured from different interest (perhaps gravitational shifts of our photograph voltaic gadget and place interior the galaxy) and the ice age will come regardless or is the ice age a right away results of the international warming. The latter is what we would want, it potential we've a combating danger we merely ought to alter our worldwide habit. yet there is an exceptionally demanding piece of techniques in this awareness. classes of heat temperature final greater or less 20,000 years and that is been approximately that long considering our final ice age ended. there's a spike in warmth merely previous to the start of an ice age, and we are seeing this worldwide warming now. regardless of if or no longer that is synthetic and regardless of if or no longer it certainly makes an impact . . . is yet to be seen. greater beneficial secure than sorry however. the respond is there is not any answer. The variables are to super and our awareness and mind isn't sufficient to decipher this as of yet. The trend is basic, that is shown. yet particularly we merely don't understand, there is not any longer sufficient techniques. Conclusions could be be made yet no one has the respond and actual everyone claims they do. Kinda humorous particularly. i'm going to take my 10 pts. now.

Answer 6

A bit of both- climate change is a natural cycle that is being unnaturally accelerated.

Thing is we have good reasons to do all the little responsible things we are being asked to do without needing to be threatened by climate change. It is sad but only impending catastrophe will make some people behave responsibly!

Answer 7

There have been natural changes before, of course. But this time it's mostly not a natural change. Which is why there's all the fuss. Scientists have proven it's mostly (estimates are 75-95%) due to man, although there are some natural factors, too. This graph, from the Source below, shows the various factors nicely.

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png

Scientists are very sure it's not the Sun, which is closely measured. Solar radiation has actually decreased a bit lately:

"Recent oppositely directed trends in solar
climate forcings and the global mean surface
air temperature", Lockwood and Frolich (2007), Proc. R. Soc. A
doi:10.1098/rspa.2007.1880

http://www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk/media/proceedings_a/rspa20071880.pdf

News article at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6290228.stm

Good websites for more info:

http://profend.com/global-warming/
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn11462

Answer 8

Climate change in itself is a natural phenomenon which has been going on for millions of years. There has always been change in the weather (i.e. ice age), however people aren't helping. It is true that greenhouse gases caused by pollution and carbon emissions DO have an effect on the atmosphere but (contrary to Al Gore's preachings) it isn't JUST humans. Of course over population doesn't help the situation and is also a factor for why there are more emissions now than there were 20 years ago - there are simply more people!! In short, there are always going to be opposing views on this topic and unfortunately no one explanation can be proved to be 100% accurate. Hope this helps!! :-)

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Climate change has been going on since long before we were around to influence it, however we are doing things that are very probably accelerating the changes. By how much is any-ones guess.

Answer 11

Probably a mixture of the two. Climate change does naturally occur. This natural change is beyond our control. But we CAN reduce the damage we are doing which is undoubtedly compounding the problem. Inaction and denial is not good enough.