Can somebody explain to me in detail that what exactly is Global Warming?

Question

Can somebody explain to me in detail that what exactly is Global Warming?

Answer 1

Global warming is the long-term increase in the average surface temperature of the earth. Since 1920, the earth's long-term (30-year) average temperature has warmed about 0.6° C, and the long-term average is both increasing and accelerating.

Past episodes of global warming have been due to natural causes, but the current warming trend is different, because is is mostly caused by human beings. This is mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels, like coal and oil, that put more carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air than can be removed by natural processes.

CO2 is a greenhouse gas, which means that it is transparent to visible light (emitted by the Sun), but it absorbs infrared light (emitted by the Earth). So when we get light from the Sun it passes through the air and warms the surface. The earth re-emits some of that energy in the infrared. But the more greenhouse gas there is in the atmosphere, the more infrared radiation emitted by the Earth is re-absorbed by the air, and the more the Earth warms.

Answer 2

Global Warming refers to the unnatural rate at which the temperate of Earth is increasing.  It is a phenomena that has been observed for quite some time, (over a hundred years), and one that has been researched for much of that time, although it hasn't been till quite recently that it has become a major research project.  It is believed that it is caused by the 'greenhouse effect', that certain gases and vapors in the atmosphere have lead our atmosphere to retain or hold a greater percentage of the heat received from the sun.  It is not that these gases exist that is the problem, the atmosphere has always provided this 'insulation' effect, but we have tipped the balance, and it is now holding far more than it has been for quite some time, and that is causing the global temperature to rise far faster then natural.

Answer 3

Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century, and its projected continuation.

The average global air temperature near the Earth's surface increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 100 years ending in 2005.[1] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations"[1] via an enhanced greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950 and a small cooling effect from 1950 onward.[2][3]

These basic conclusions have been endorsed by at least 30 scientific societies and academies of science,[4] including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries.[5][6][7] While individual scientists have voiced disagreement with some findings of the IPCC,[8] the overwhelming majority of scientists working on climate change agree with the IPCC's main conclusions.[9][10]

Climate model projections summarized by the IPCC indicate that average global surface temperature will likely rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) during the twenty-first century.[1] This range of values results from the use of differing scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions as well as models with differing climate sensitivity. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming and sea level rise are expected to continue for more than a thousand years even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized. The delay in reaching equilibrium is a result of the large heat capacity of the oceans.[1]

Increasing global temperature is expected to cause sea level to rise, an increase in the intensity of extreme weather events, and significant changes to the amount and pattern of precipitation, likely leading to an expanse of tropical areas and increased pace of desertification. Other expected effects of global warming include changes in agricultural yields, modifications of trade routes, glacier retreat, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors.

Remaining scientific uncertainties include the amount of warming expected in the future, and how warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but there is ongoing political and public debate worldwide regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences.

Answer 4

It's the accumulation of all the hot air expelled by hypocritical blowhards like Gore, expounding on this trumped up pseudo-science hysteria.

Answer 5

global warming is the relatively 'warm' period that follows a 'relatively' cool period in the natural Earth cycle of climate change.

while we SHOULD steward our environment, it is arrogant madness to believe that anything humans do (short of a nuclear winter) can impact the Earth in the way alarmists claim.

Case in Point:  want an explanation for the Artic warming last decade?  check out "Gakkel Ridge".  now that the undersea volcanoes have cooled their jets, the Artic cold is recovering.

Answer 6

The whole concept that this global warming scam is built on comes from a mistake in logic by a chemist back in the late 1800s when things started warming up at the end of the 2nd half of the little ice age. His arguments were adopted by a group of anti-industrial/anti-technology religious fanatics known as Luddites after their prophet to try and return society to its grander days in the early medieval period when nobility meant something. Oh yes, just like today the major adherents of this cult were the 2nd and 3rd sons of the minor nobility and in some cases the 1st sons who had squandered their inheritances on life style instead of productivity.

The anti Co2 cult was enhanced again when the argument was taken up during the late 20s when warming became noticeable and a industrial chemical firm had come up with a fluorocarbon instead of an oxycarbon refrigerant they claimed was not only superior to Co2 as a refrigerant it also would end the threat of global warming caused by Co2. This refrigerant was known as Freon and was in recent years banned because it was suspected of damaging the ozone layer. Now because of the low performance of other substituted refrigerants Co2 is making a huge comeback in the refrigeration industry, especially in newer auto air-conditioning systems that are more compact and efficient.

In the 1970s the Co2 equals warming theory was once again brought forward by a couple of low end climate scientists Mann/Hansen to first warn of the immanent plunge into a new and disastrous ice age because of the production of Co2 by vehicles and industry. This even though it got major media news play flopped like a lead balloon. Then they got involved with a shyster politician that had major oil company connections dating back to his fathers involvement with them who said clearly people are not afraid of cold but they are of heat.

So this politician writes a disaster is coming because of the warming that will be caused by the huge amounts of Co2 the world is pumping into the air. Mann/Hansen then revised their materials to forecast ever rising temperatures in sync with rising Co2 levels. Well when they checked closely they found that world temperatures had no relationship with Co2 levels and instead followed sun spot activity so they had to alter world temperature records to reflect a temperature increase matching the Co2 increase. This worked fine up through 2000 because things were warming up after the 70s cool period at that time. Then after 2000 temps leveled off and started dropping a little and their altered temperature curve that matched the increasing Co2 curve began to radically separate from reality even more than it had from the beginning of the scam when they had interjected an artificial .5C jump that placed the current 1998 peak well above 1934 when it was actually about .1C below 1934. This radical difference between actual recorded temperatures and reported ones quoted by Mann/Hansen is what brought about NASA action to review national and international records. The US national records have been repaired and now reflect the fact that global warming is more than a myth, it is an outright con game played for profit at the highest political and economic levels.

Answer 7

Global warming is indeed real and has been documented with ice cores dating back tens of thousands of years.

What is NOT real is the quackery that humans caused (or can even affect) global warming.

The scare tactics being perpetrated upon us are only a money/power grab scheme by bottom-feeder politicians accompanied by their so-easily-led sheeple who take their prattle, even their movies, as hard science

.

To find that my statement above is true, follow the money. See just who it is who will profit from the carbon offset, carbon tax, & etc.

Here is truth about global warming:

Global warming is one-half of the climatic cycle of warming and cooling.

The earth's mean temperature cycles around the freezing point of water.

This is a completely natural phenomenon which has been going on since there has been water on this planet. It is driven by the sun.

Our planet is currently emerging from a 'mini ice age', so is

becoming warmer and may return to the point at which Greenland is again usable as farmland (as it has been in recorded history).

As the polar ice caps decrease, the amount of fresh water mixing with oceanic water will slow and perhaps stop the thermohaline cycle (the oceanic heat 'conveyor' which, among other things, keeps the U.S. east coast warm).

When this cycle slows/stops, the planet will cool again and begin to enter another ice age.

It's been happening for millions of years.

The worrisome and brutal predictions of drastic climate effects are based on computer models, NOT CLIMATE HISTORY.

As you probably know, computer models are not the most reliable of sources, especially when used to 'predict' chaotic systems such as weather.

Global warming/cooling, AKA 'climate change':

Humans did not cause it.

Humans cannot stop it.  

Answer 8

Global warming is the theorized increase in the average measured temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century, and its projected continuation.

The average global air temperature near the Earth's surface increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 100 years ending in 2005.[1] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations"[1] via an enhanced greenhouse effect. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950 and a small cooling effect from 1950 onward.[2][3]

These basic conclusions have been endorsed by at least 30 scientific societies and academies of science,[4] including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries.[5][6][7] While individual scientists have voiced disagreement with some findings of the IPCC,[8] the overwhelming majority of scientists working on climate change agree with the IPCC's main conclusions.[9][10]

Climate model projections summarized by the IPCC indicate that average global surface temperature will likely rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) during the twenty-first century.[1] This range of values results from the use of differing scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions as well as models with differing climate sensitivity. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming and sea level rise are expected to continue for more than a thousand years even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized. The delay in reaching equilibrium is a result of the large heat capacity of the oceans.[1]

Increasing global temperature is expected to cause sea level to rise, an increase in the intensity of extreme weather events, and significant changes to the amount and pattern of precipitation, likely leading to an expanse of tropical areas and increased pace of desertification. Other expected effects of global warming include changes in agricultural yields, modifications of trade routes, glacier retreat, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors.

Remaining scientific uncertainties include the amount of warming expected in the future, and how warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but there is ongoing political and public debate worldwide regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences.

The term "global warming" refers to the warming in recent decades and its projected continuation, and implies a human influence.[11][12] The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) uses the term "climate change" for human-caused change, and "climate variability" for other changes..[13] The term "climate change" recognizes that rising temperatures are not the only effect.[14] The term "anthropogenic global warming" is sometimes used when focusing on human-induced changes.

Answer 9

omg Al Gore is right!! how could he possibly benefit from saying we cause global warming? By the way his house is totally carbon neutral. Global warming is something we need to tackle more than any other political issue because when the consequences of it hit, it WILL hurt the economy. All you people who say Al Gore is wrong and just too scared to face the facts. The second answer sums up what global warming is and i totally agree with it though i think the effects will be much harsher.