1) Does carbon dioxide increase temperature, or does temperate increase carbon dioxide....read on?

Question

I've heard contradicting things about Al Gore's analysis of the graph.

Also If Al Gore was wrong about this does it jeopadise his belief in global warming. If he was right does it prove global warming?

Answer 1

Both.

Because CO2 is a greenhouse gas, we know that it causes global warming.

As global temperatures rise, there are various mechanisms which release CO2.  For example, CO2 is less soluble in warmer water, so as the oceans' temperatures rise, they emit more CO2.

In the past temperatures rose first because there was no temperature-independent source of CO2.  Other factors caused the planet to warm (generally variations in solar output and the Earth's orbital cycles), and the increased temperatures led to a release of CO2, which in turn caused temperatures to increase further, etc.

What's different now is that there is a temperature-independent source of CO2 - humans burning fossil fuels.  That's why CO2 is rising at the same time as global temperature this time.

Answer 2

The best way I can answer this is to say read the science for yourself - that's all of it, not just one side of the argument - and ignore Al Gore altogether.  His insistance on using the "hockey stick" graph, which deletes important sequences in Earths climate history which are validated by proxy data, makes his hypothesis invalid.

Answer 3

Actually both are probably correct.  Our emitted CO2 should have an effect though it is impossible with available technology and knowledge to know what our contribution is.  It may very well be a blip in the natural fluctuations in spite of the alarmist rhetoric.  As the ocean heats up, it gives off dissovled CO2.  This accounts for the lag time of about 800 years in CO2 concentrations following global temperatures changes.

Answer 4

it's climate change. i think its just the worlds natural cycle. we've always had major change in weather and we're due an ice age soon any way by soon i mean the next few 1000 years or so

Answer 5

It does not jeopardize his belief because he was fully aware of it. In the beginning warmers were using the ice core samples as proof of AGW.  Later on when they discovered that co2 lags temperatures they twisted the words around, so it is still absolute proof of AGW.  You see that is how believers are.  No matter what proof you give them to the contrary they will find some way rationalize it and turn things around.

Answer 6

Both.

It increases temperatures via the greenhouse effect, and it is released from ocean waters as they warm.

It's astounding how many people (some of them above) cannot understand this very basic scientific fact.

Answer 7

First there is natural warming not caused by CO2, which has been going on since the end of the Little Ice Age of medieval times.  This natural warming has released a lot of CO2 from the oceans.  Man contributes only a fraction of this and only in the last century.  The CO2 alarmists actually do not know how much is natural and insist that it is Man's tiny contribution that is causing the warming.  Why?  Because it fits in with some political goals of Leftists like Algore, power, control and money.  He believes only that he can make money and push an agenda.  He is wrong, but greedy.

The scientist who used the "hockey stick" had to fake some data that was different than the historical records.  He lied and used false data.  The GW crowd continues to be creative with data, because they have a vested interest in convincing people that GW is true.

Answer 8

both, it is a complex system of feedback.

higher temps cause more CO2 to be released by oceans. this causes more warming which amplifies any current effects on the climate.

Answer 9

The atmospheric rise in carbon dioxide (and water vapor) historically follows about 800 years behind the beginning of the warming trends.  Naturally, more atmospheric gas means more heat retention, with the water vapor accounting for about 95% of that heat retention.  If this is a 'chicken or the egg' type of question, warming comes first, then rising CO2 and water vapor.

Global warming is obviously real.  In the past 10,000 years, the glaciers have melted back by 2,000 miles and the oceans have risen hundreds of feet.  What was once dry land between Alaska and Asia is now under quite a lot of water.

Al Gore thinks there are enough stupid people who can be tricked into thinking WE are causing this warming cycle that they will support Carbon Taxes and Carbon Offset payments by companies, driving our economy down the tubes.  But why?  He stands to make a lot of money off this scheme.

Answer 10

Both. It is demonstrable that we get more heat retention with more CO2. It is also clear that as temperatures rise, CO2 concentrations also increase.

The previous periods of global warming did have high CO2 levels, not from any human activity. This does not identify that CO2 levels caused or were caused by warming. But from what we know, it would be both cause and effect.

However, acceptance of the premise that rising temperatures are a cause of increased CO2 does nothing for any argument that the world is not warming.