What two factors influence the greenhouse effect and global warming?

Answer 1

The contention of almost every of climatologist is that Global Warming is a major issue for the global community. Global warming is driving "Global Climate Change" as some areas may be warmer, some cooler, some wetter, some drier.

The present problems of global climate change are the result of the following factors:

• an increase in the emissions of the various man made green house gases (methane and carbon dioxide) and
• the disruption of the natural sinks of greenhouse gas removal like forest cover and soil sequestration.

Unfortunately the impact of greenhouse gas emissions creates a feed forward loop in the rising temperature. Warming of the oceans creates a reduction of the ice caps and a corresponding decrease in the Earth's albedo (less heat is reflected back to space) so more heat is retained.. The warming also unfreezes the permafrost in the northern land masses releasing methane a greenhouse gas 20x more potent than carbon dioxide, which captures more heat and thaws more permafrost. Observations of atmospheric gas composition, average sea water temperatures, atmospheric temperatures etc. confirm the trends and support the proposition.