Has global warming stopped, or was it caused by the Sun?

Question

The two most frequent arguments used by anthropogenic (man-made) global warming 'skeptics' are

1) Global warming has stopped

2) Global warming is caused by the Sun

In fact, many 'skeptics' use both arguments. However, these two arguments are contradictory.

Looking at the ACRIM satellite data (which shows a greater change in total solar irradiance [TSI] than the PMOD data), the change in TSI from the solar cycle 21 to 22 minima (1986 to 1997) was 0.5 Watts per meter squared. That's less than one-third the radiative forcing from CO2 alone. From 1978-Present, overall TSI has remained essentially unchanged.

http://www.acrim.com/RESULTS/Earth%20Observatory/earth_obs_fig26.pdf

http://www.greenfacts.org/en/climate-change-ar4/figtableboxes/figure-2.htm

In short, there was no significant change in solar output over the past 30 years. So if the Sun was causing global warming, how do you explain the argument that the warming stopped in 1998? You can't have it both ways.

Answer 1

everyday this year can be freezing and that doesnt mean a thing. overall the climate of the entire globe is warming. it is warming at a rate that animals and humans will not be able to keep up with. as you know the arctic is melting, and when it does, probably not this generation but maybe the next and deffinately the one after. the sea levels will rise causing japan, other islands, and the costlines to be under water. and thats only 1 out of many many problems it will cause.

Answer 2

Is the Earth still warming?

If you go by balloon and satellite measurement of the lower troposphere (the lowest part of the atmosphere), it follows solar activity much better than the surface temperature measuring stations.

http://www.ocs.orst.edu/ats210/pp5.GIF

http://science.nasa.gov/newhome/headline...

Answer 3

Global Warming is a very complex phenomenom.  It has not stopped.  It is real.  There remains quite a lot of debate over how much of global warming is man made and how much is 'natural' climate change, but the consensus amongst reputable atmospheric scientests and climatologists is that at the very least, human activity has contributed to and accelerated the situation, and that if it continues it will cause many severe hardships for the human race.  

You can always find a few dissenters for everything.  And there are many people who for political reasons or to justify their own wasteful lifestyles will exploit every little disagreement and select isolated 'factoids' to support their own positions.  

A good summary of the global warming situation can be found here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warm...

I have also found the following source discussing the consensus of science regarding current climate change.  It reads: "With the July 2007 release of the revised statement by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, no remaining scientific body of national or international standing is known to reject the basic findings of human influence on recent climate."  See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_...

Answer 4

The sun has gotten hotter(proven fact),mars temp. has risen,I haven't seen any SUVS or factories there.Global warming is a pol ital tool.A lot of people have made alot of money trying to scare folks.

Answer 5

OK, you kinda answered your own question. But, no the sun does not cause global walming, but it is a large factor. You seem to know alot so im not going to go into detail at all. But global warming is a natural event which has been sped up alot by humans.

Answer 6

I don't use either arguments. I'm a skeptic.

Answer: Maybe/Maybe.

Oh yeah, Dana, you go girl!

Edit: When bob, js ken or whoever comes, give them best answer because they agree with your ego.

Also, Dana can you please define El Nino? While your doing it, think of the year of 1998.

Answer 7

Wait till the ice caps finish melting (and they seem to be shrinking fast).  Then the real global warming will begin!

Answer 8

The Snow in Kilimanjaro has returned, Doomsday has been called off.

This has been a public service announcement by NoSocialism.com

Updates Pending.

Answer 9

Of course global warming hasn't stopped. There are some deniers out there, and especially on this forum, who can not understand that climate has more than one influence. It must be difficult to be that stupid. They probably also don’t realize that there’s more than one way to score during a football game.

The sun CAN influence climate, but it’s not this time around. Solar output has decreased over the past few decades while the average global temperatures have risen.[1]

We are currently in the midst of a La Nina. "La Nina is part of what we call 'variability'. There has always been and there will always be cooler and warmer years, but what is important for climate change is that the trend is up; the climate on average is warming even if there is a temporary cooling because of La Nina."[2]

Even with the La Nina, 2008 will become one of the warmest years on record – this is something that these deniers cannot seem to fathom.[3]

Answer 10

Ah, darned liberals and their facts. It's all a conspiracy. Give me some time, I'll find a way to fit the facts into a new theory.

Answer 11

i thought the sun forcing idea was possibly accounting for a part of it, but a new study just published found no correlation at all between numbers of cosmic rays and cloud cover, so that's out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7327...