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The first serious research conducted on the effect of changes in CO2 levels was in 1896, when Arrhenius completed a laborious numerical computation which suggested that cutting the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by half could lower the temperature in Europe some 4-5°C (roughly 7-9°F) - that is, to an ice age level. Arrhenius made a calculation for doubling the CO2 in the atmosphere, and estimated it would raise the Earth's temperature some 5-6°C (averaged over all zones of latitude). Arrhenius did not see that as a problem. He figured that if industry continued to burn fuel at the current (1896) rate, it would take perhaps three thousand years for the CO2 level to rise so high. In any case Arrhenius and other researchers were only interested in explaining the Ice Ages. No one seriously believed that global warming was coming. After much criticism, the work of Arrhenius was ignored by the scientific community.

In 1931, an American physicist, E.O. Hulburt, produced calculations supported Arrhenius's estimate that doubling or halving CO2 would bring something like a 4°C rise or fall of surface temperature, but he was a relatively uknown scientist and published his work in a little known Journal.

In 1938 an English engineer, Guy Stewart Callendar, compiled measurements of temperatures from the nineteenth century onwards and confirmed that there was a warming trend. He went on to evaluate old measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and concluded that over the previous hundred years the concentration of the gas had increased by about 10 per cent. Callendar asserted that this could explain the observed warming.

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What are three effective strategies to combat global warming and reduce its impact on the environment?

Three effective strategies to combat global warming and reduce its impact on the environment are transitioning to renewable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency and conservation practices, and implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


What are the three human solutions for limiting global warming?

The three human solutions for limiting global warming are transitioning to renewable energy sources, implementing energy efficiency measures, and promoting sustainable practices such as reforestation and promoting green transportation.


What is the Conflicting evidence to global warming?

The basic evidence for global warming, that it is really happening, is that worldwide instrument measurements show that the world is warming and is continuing to warm. In fact, the last ten years were the warmest decade since instrumental records began in 1850, and the year 2010 was the warmest on record, slightly aboive the record set in 1998 and again in 2005, although because the temperature was only marginally higher, climate scientists regard the as the three equal hottest years globally.It is difficult to find evidence to refute the instrument measurements. The one serious doubt was based on the urban effect, in which instruments located in originally rural areas gradually become surrounded by urban development, resulting in localised higher temperatures. It was suggested that climate scientists had not properly adjusted for this effect where present, but independent scientists have since confirmed that appropriate adjustments have been made in the climate studies, and confirm that global warming really is happening.The evidence for global warming are the temperature records collected over the past century. These clearly show global temperature has increased, and dramatically so in the past 30 years.There isn't any convincing evidence against global warming. There is paltry (a little bit) of evidence to suggest not ALL current warming can be attributed to human activity, but for the most part the evidence we have gathered so far implicates the human consumption of fossil fuels as the primary cause of current global warming.If one focuses one's attention on a few specific areas of the globe rather than the globe in its entirety, one can build a flimsy case that global warming is not actually occurring. Some of those who argue there is no global warming pick one recent abnormally warm year, and draw a line from it through the coldest parts of more recent years in an effort to suggest temperature is declining, rather than using the standard five or ten year running average indicative of actual climate trend.


What proof is there for global warming being a lie?

No scientist has anything to gain by creating a hoax or deliberately lying to say that average global temperatures are rising - the normal definition of global warming. In fact, any evidence that a research scientist has engaged in this would be career-destroying. The only employment open to trained scientists who value propaganda over research is in some sections of industry, but it is unlikely that any business would seek to create belief in global warming. However, Richard Muller, a Physics Professor and longtime critic of government-led climate studies believed that there was an inadvertent lie behind the science of global warming. He sought to address what he called "the legitimate concerns" of sceptics who believe global warming is exaggerated and undertook what was termed the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project at the University of California, Berkeley, to demonstrate that there was at least some poor science involved. Professor Muller unexpectedly told a congressional hearing the work of the three principal groups that have analysed the temperature trends underlying climate science is "excellent ... We see a global warming trend that is very similar to that previously reported by the other groups." Thus the only potential proof that global warming was in some way a lie foundered.


Is the anti Global Warming petition debunked?

That petition has been around for about 21 years in three incarnations, as I understand. All the petitions lack credibility for several reasons. They all share the same weaknesses. 1. The petition was not limited to scientists who are experts in the field. 2. The petition was made available to anyone who claimed to have a B.S. degree or better. 3. No evidence was ever produced that the signatories and their credentials were checked. 4. The older petitions contained falsified names. 5. The petitions claim to show a concensus or strong majority of scientists have doubts about global warming without ever disclosing the number of scientists who failed to respond or disagreed with the petitions. There are many other flaws with the petitions. Here is one "debunking": http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/08-11-12

Related Questions

Why do you think scientists environmentalists and politicians are arguing about global warming?

Scientists and environmentalists are warning the world that global warming is a real and present danger. Politicians can rarely see beyond the next election in three or four years. Few of them, in the US anyway, have any long term vision.


What are three ways global warming affect the water cycle?

Global warming increases temperature.Water level rises up.Amount of water in atmosphere is affected.


What are three global warming might affect the water cycle?

Global warming increases temperature.Water level rises up.Amount of water in atmosphere is affected.


What are three ways global warming might affect the water?

Global warming increases temperature.Water level rises up.Amount of water in atmosphere is affected.


What are three ways global warming might affect the cycle?

Global warming increases temperature.Water level rises up.Amount of water in atmosphere is affected.


What are three possible causes of climate?

Global warming is causing climate change.Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) is causing global warming.Cutting down forests is causing global warming.


What three gases cause global warming?

The three main greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). These gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, leading to an increase in average global temperatures.


What are the three harmful effects of the changes in the environment?

Global warming, Acid Rain, Depletion of the Ozone Layer


What fossil fuels cause pollution?

All three of them do.CoalOilGasFossil fuels are the cause of global warming and pollution.


What scientists think there is no global warming?

It is hard to find any research scientist working in the fields of atmospheric science or climate who actually believes there has not been a rise in average global temperatures since the beginning of the Industrial Age. Richard Lindzen, a professor of Atmospheric Science but widely regarded as a contrarian, agreed that global warming is occurring and could be caused by increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels but believed that scientists were not in a position to prove the connection. Garth Paltridge, retired Chief Research Scientist at the CSIRO Division of Atmospheric Research, agreed that there are good reasons to believe that burning fossil fuels could lead to global warming, but was uncertain as to how significant this would be. Richard Muller, a Physics Professor and longtime critic of climate studies, set out to address what he called "the legitimate concerns" of sceptics who believe global warming is exaggerated. But Professor Muller unexpectedly told a congressional hearing the work of the three principal groups that have analysed the temperature trends underlying climate science is "excellent ... We see a global warming trend that is very similar to that previously reported by the other groups." It appears that Muller no longer believes that global warming is not real.


Why are the three Rs the first step in stopping global warming?

The three Rs, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are an excellent idea, but they are not the first step. The first step is to stop burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). The second step is to replant the forests. That is what will stop global warming.


What are three effective strategies to combat global warming and reduce its impact on the environment?

Three effective strategies to combat global warming and reduce its impact on the environment are transitioning to renewable energy sources, promoting energy efficiency and conservation practices, and implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.