What is global warming and what are its potential impacts?

Answer 1

Global warming has been identified as a major issue for the global community. More properly this is called "Global Climate Change" as some areas may be warmer, some cooler, some wetter, some drier...

Background:

The contention of the larger number of climatologists is that human activities since the industrial revolution have increased the concentration of CO2, methane and other gases in the atmosphere that trap solar heat. At the same time human activities have reduced the forest cover that had traditionally absorbed these same materials. The majority of climatologists contend that an increasing level of these atmospheric constituents has lead to a chain of chemical and physical changes that have increased the world's average temperature.

Observations of atmospheric gas composition, average sea water temperatures, atmospheric temperatures etc. confirm the trends and support the proposition.

Potential Impacts:

1. The sea levels may continue to rise. Technically this may be caused by melting ice from the polar ice caps or an increase in sea height as the less dense water is less compressed. Low lying land like many Pacific Islands and Miami will be under water.

2. Serious climate changes may result from diverted ocean currents. As an example, the Gulf Stream keeps Europe warm. If the Stream is not running Europe may be much cooler and drier. Crops may not grow.

3. Ecology changes on the land could include species of animals and plants extending their range to the polar regions. Local flora and fauna may become extinct. A good example is the spread of Africanized bees and Fire Ants. Sea life may also be impacted both through the introduction of competitive species presently kept in other areas by water temperature changes, and by failure to adapt to less saline water.

4. Human society may be disrupted if changes in rainfall and temperature cause crop failure. Famine refugees may require significant humanitarian attention by the "lucky" nations.

Conflicting opinions?

Yes indeed, many people don't agree.

However, the problem breaks down into two potential scenarios. Either there is a basis for fear about climate change, or, there isn't.

If Climate Change isn't real and we do nothing - good! Except of course many of the problems that science has identified and blamed as causing Climate Change are just plain wastes of resources, and inefficient and uneconomical practices that should be addressed anyway.

If Climate Change is not real and we do all the things that we should - reduce emissions, cut fuel use, re-establish forests - we're out money (maybe) but in general the world is a better and more sustainable place.

If Climate Change is real and we do nothing we will have to adapt to the changing earth.

If Climate Change is real and we work to correct all our bad habits we might still be in trouble ... if it's too little and too late, but we'll go down fighting. If we succeed we live.

it isn't real/ it is made up/ a figment of our imagination.

There are no facts. The fact is we know nothing about it. Whether we are causing it or it is a phase the world goes through. It is just a theory. It will never be a fact (just like everything else in science - there is no proof, only evidence).

Climate change has been a fact of life for billions of years on earth. The real question is whether or not humans have a significant impact on global climate. Many scientists contend that it is unlikely that humans can significantly affect global climate. However, enacting policies which improve local environments can have lasting benefits in terms of cleaner air and water.

There is not a growing volume of evidence to deny that the earth is warming, and it is primarily being caused by humans. Their is a growing volume of scientific evidence showing the opposite. The notion that it is a natural phenomenon is popular around the internet and in the media because it has been adopted by one side of the political spectrum.

The fact is, there is no consensus by scientific groups regarding the possibility of humans causing global warming. There are two political bodies, the IPCC and board of the AAAS that have made claims supporting anthropogenic global warming, but these do not relect the view of some scientists.

The current, natural warming period which the earth has historically been experiencing as been occurring for thousands of years and will continue to do so with or without the presence of humans.