The Global Warming Megathread

[Phanerothyme]

Indeed, the question is whether the huge rate of increase of CO2 emissions has anything to do with it.

 

The trouble with planetary climatic systems is that they are notoriously difficult to predict.

[Lindseyw]

Things are definately getting warmer

[brooksy]

You only have to look at the current hurricane season in the usa to see the effects of globalwarming. The rise in sea teps around the world is there for everyone to see. The rise in sea temps is feeding energy into these storms at an alarming rate increasing there strength to incredible force.Also flooding and drought around the world are at record levels and even given the up and down climate of the earth over the past thousand or ten thousand years these changes are happening so quick that even the GW issue is now not up for debate.

[rich951]

Global warming is an interesting one. I've noticed from reading a couple of other forums/boards (shock! ) populated mostly by Americans that generally they really don't believe in it. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the oil companies controlling the country and goverment though! Compare it if you will to the ongoing debates on evolution/intelligent design...

 

Here's an interesting quote that I'd offer up courtesy of slashdot, suggesting that the scientific view is definitely in favour of the theory:

 

"Well, here's an interesting one: the fine folks at Science Magazine have done an analysis of the last ten years' published scientific articles (articles from crank or non-peer-reviewed publications were not counted) on the subject of global climate change. The results themselves are interesting, but the most remarkable part was that, of the 928 papers they found, 75% accepted that global warming was caused by human activities, either explicitly or implicitly. 25% made no mention either way. And not a single paper asserted otherwise."

 

I'm rather dubious of any evidence suggested by anecdotal evidence such as "the winters are warm these days" though!

[alchresearch]

The records of weather and climate study don't go back far enough to give a definite answer.

 

The weather seems to be in a mess at the minute (ie for the last 10-25 years) but aren't we supposed to be in a cycle where this happens?

 

However, I do believe there is a big waste in energy and we could do more to look after the planet. Landfill sites are a big concern of mine and, no doubt, Abduls judging from his posts on here.

[Cliff Clavin]

Well its a bit too complex a thing for me to go into full detail about Global at this time, but I will doing doing a feature on my Web Site about the subject.

 

All I will say is there's alot of misinformation about Gloabl Warming due to alot of researchers recieving grants from companies who like their pesonal views attached to the reports.

 

One thing I will say is without Global Warming we'd all be dead, or freezing but there is a fine line which I will go into more detail on my website.

 

So anyone talking about irradicating Global Warming does not fully understand the phenomenon.

[Gnome]

I have just finished a book by Michael Crichton called "State of Fear" all about global warming or the lack of it. The story is made up and in his usual style but nearly every other page has quotes/references from real research papers backing up the story. It completely changed my view on global warming, If you look at the facts in context you can easily show a decrease in temperature and little to no rise in sea levels over a sensible period.

[nick2]

Originally posted by rich951

I'm rather dubious of any evidence suggested by anecdotal evidence such as "the winters are warm these days" though!

 

So am I, but, it did seem to snow more when I was a kid, the last couple of winters have been crap (snow-wise) and quite warm/wet.

[Norbert]

Over hundreds of millions of years (which is a really, really long time) volcanos spewed out CO2, ancient plants used this up and died, their remains eventually became huge seams of coal and resevoirs of oil far below our feet.

 

If we dig up and burn (releasing all the CO2) a significant part of what was laid down over millions of years surely something is going to change. We can't put it back you know.

 

Maybe technology will keep us alive but the world might not be as we knew it.

 

Interesting times...

[user10239]

OK, I just had a scary thought.

 

If all the aid movements succeed, and we bring a large proportion of the "third world" out (or more out) of poverty than they are, it would be crazy to expect them not to have massive industrial revolutions, pouring many many many pollutants into our already fragile ecosystem.

It is common knowledge that China is one of the major pollutants of the world due to its belated technological revolutions, and lax laws etc.

 

Therefore these nations would become a breeding ground for dodgy industry, and would only help the warming of our earth spiral out of control, killing (possibly) thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions

 

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE THAT ON YOUR CONSCIENCE WHEN YOU GIVE MONEY TO CHARITIES?!?!

 

discuss.