How can people believe in man made global warming?

Question

How can people believe in man made global warming?

Answer 1

All of these organizations say that it's happening and our fault:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/ar4-wg1.h...

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level

The understanding of anthropogenic warming and cooling influences on climate has improved [in recent years], leading to very high confidence (greater then 90% confidence) that the global average net effect of human activities since 1750 has been one of warming.

U.S. National Research Council http://books.nap.edu/html/climatechange/

Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise. Temperatures are, in fact, rising. The changes observed over the last several decades are likely mostly due to human activities, but we cannot rule out that some significant part of these changes is also a reflection of natural variability. Human-induced warming and associated sea level rises are expected to continue through the 21st century.

American Meteorological Society http://www.ametsoc.org/policy/climatecha...

Human activities have become a major source of environmental change. Of great urgency are the climate consequences of the increasing atmospheric abundance of greenhouse gases and other trace constituents resulting primarily from energy use, agriculture, and land clearing. These radiatively active gases and trace constituents interact strongly with the Earth's energy balance, resulting in the prospect of significant global warming.

When used in this context, the term "global warming" includes all climate and environment effects arising from natural climate variability as well as from anthropogenic changes in atmospheric composition and land use. For many nations, the possibility of substantial climate change is viewed as likely to have a serious impact on the global environment and on human welfare over the course of the next few decades to centuries.

Because greenhouse gases continue to increase, we are, in effect, conducting a global climate experiment, neither planned nor controlled, the results of which may present unprecedented challenges to our wisdom and foresight as well as have significant impacts on our natural and societal systems. It is a long-term problem that requires a long-term perspective. Important decisions confront current and future national and world leaders.

NASA http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/news-release/re...

A new NASA-funded study used a computer climate model to simulate the last 50 years of climate changes, projects warming over the next 50 years regardless of whether or not nations curb their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions soon. If no emission reductions are made and they continue to increase at the current rate, global temperatures may increase by 1-2° Celsius (1.8°-3.6° Fahrenheit). But if the growth rate of carbon dioxide does not exceed its current rate and if the growth of true air pollutants (things that are harmful to human health) is reversed, temperatures may rise by only 0.75C (1.35F).

The GISS "SI2000" climate model provided a convincing demonstration that global temperature change of the past half-century is mainly a response to climate forcing agents, or imposed perturbations of the Earth's energy balance. This is especially true of human-made forcings, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which trap the Earth's heat radiation as a blanket traps body heat; thus they cause warming.

US Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/science...

Scientists know with virtual certainty that:

- Human activities are changing the composition of Earth's atmosphere. Increasing levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere since pre-industrial times are well-documented and understood.

- The atmospheric buildup of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.

- An “unequivocal” warming trend of about 1.0 to 1.7°F occurred from 1906-2005. Warming occurred in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and over the oceans.

- The major greenhouse gases emitted by human activities remain in the atmosphere for periods ranging from decades to centuries. It is therefore virtually certain that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases will continue to rise over the next few decades.

- Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations tend to warm the planet.

American Geophysical Union http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climat...

Human activities are increasingly altering the Earth's climate. These effects add to natural influences that have been present over Earth's history. Scientific evidence strongly indicates that natural influences cannot explain the rapid increase in global near-surface temperatures observed during the second half of the 20th century.

Human impacts on the climate system include increasing concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons and their substitutes, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.), air pollution, increasing concentrations of airborne particles, and land alteration. A particular concern is that atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide may be rising faster than at any time in Earth's history, except possibly following rare events like impacts from large extraterrestrial objects.

American Institute of Physics http://www.aip.org/fyi/2004/042.html

The American Institute of Physics endorses the above statement by the American Geophysical Union.

American Astronomical Society http://www.aas.org/governance/council/re...

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) notes that human impacts on the climate system include increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which is significantly contributing to the warming of the global climate. ... In endorsing the "Human Impacts on Climate" statement, the AAS recognizes the collective expertise of the AGU in scientific subfields central to assessing and understanding global change, and acknowledges the strength of agreement among our AGU colleagues that the global climate is changing and human activities are contributing to that change.

American Association for the Advancement of Science http://www.aaas.org/news/press_room/clim...

The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing threat to society. Accumulating data from across the globe reveal a wide array of effects: rapidly melting glaciers, destabilization of major ice sheets, increases in extreme weather, rising sea level, shifts in species ranges, and more.

The pace of change and the evidence of harm have increased markedly over the last five years. The time to control greenhouse gas emissions is now. The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, a critical greenhouse gas, is higher than it has been for at least 650, 000 years. The average temperature of the Earth is heading for levels not experienced for millions of years.

US National Academy of Science http://dels.nas.edu/dels/rpt_briefs/clim...

A Growing body of evidence indicates that the Earth’s atmosphere is warming. Records show that surface temperatures have risen about 1.4oF (0.7oC) since the early twentieth century, and that about 0.9oF (0.5oC) of this increase has occurred since 1978. Observed changes in oceans, ecosystems, and ice cover are consistent with this warming trend.

The fact is that Earth’s climate is always changing. A key question is how much of the observed warming is due to human activities and how much is due to natural variability in the climate. In the judgment of most climate scientists, Earth’s warming in recent decades has been caused primarily by human activities that have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Joint Science Academies http://nationalacademies.org/onpi/060720...

There is now strong evidence that significant global warming is occurring. The evidence comes from direct measurements of rising surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures and from phenomena such as increases in average global sea levels, retreating glaciers, and changes to many physical and biological systems. It is likely that most of the warming in recent decades can be attributed to human activities. This warming has already led to changes in the Earth's climate.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/glob...

Human activity has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mostly carbon dioxide from combustion of coal, oil, and gas; plus a few other trace gases). There is no scientific debate on this point. Pre-industrial levels of carbon dioxide (prior to the start of the Industrial Revolution) were about 280 parts per million by volume (ppmv), and current levels are about 370 ppmv. The concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere today, has not been exceeded in the last 420, 000 years, and likely not in the last 20 million years. According to the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES), by the end of the 21st century, we could expect to see carbon dioxide concentrations of anywhere from 490 to 1260 ppm (75-350% above the pre-industrial concentration).

The Royal Society http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/landing.asp?id...

International scientific consensus agrees that increasing levels of man-made greenhouse gases are leading to global climate change. Possible consequences of climate change  

Answer 2

By reading articles written on

'The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Adminstration'  of Rutgers University and the 'British Antartic Survey' 2008 report. In summary:

1. General: there are always natural variables that  affect the seasonal icemelt and ice build up at both poles . However the current rate of change of ice melt (especially that occuring not only in summer but also in winter),  could not have happened without  having been driven in part by human activity.

2.Artic: One NOAA  oceanographer had been a global sceptic but now says 'all the evidence points to human caused climate change.'  Their models indicate that we will have an an ice-free Artic  by 2003, two decades ahead of earlier predictions.

3.Antartic:  There  has been a slight consistent build up of ice over the last 30 years as the ozone hole has led to the blocking of the warmer winds. However the ice peninsula, the section of Antartica pointing towards South America, has experienced several unusual ice shelf collapses.

Answer 3

because a lot of people believe global warming is real...

if it isn't man made that means there is nothing we can do about it.. the world will tire of us and move the environment to a point where we can't survive.. and we are doomed.. NO one wants to believe that their survival is out of mankind's hands.

Answer 4

I guess because we have more faith in science than we do in talk radio.

Answer 5

The same reason why American Idol continues to have high ratings. The same disinformation the drives phrases such has "Obscene profits", "Neocon", "Bush lied people died", "Blood for oil", "Common Good", and "Right to Vote".

Answer 6

cause the sun just couldnt do it by its self

Answer 7

They use some junk science, a few good speakers, get on the news and scream the sky is falling and, avoid anything that might be contrary to their hysteria and never question  anything. It would be funny if it weren't for the fact that Congress has bought the lie and wants to continue to cripple our economy with more environmental regulations

Answer 8

Oh - how the corporations love guys like you!

Answer 9

cuz its real, global warming is our fault.

Answer 10

At one time in history people seriously believed that the world was flat.  Sailors who ventured out beyond the sight of land stood in serious danger of falling off the earth's edge and disappearing forever.

People's belief in global warming is the same thing, except in the 21st century with the only difference being that world economies are suffering for it now.

Answer 11

Science.

When faced with the reality that man is the cause, that our very way of life is the cause, many embrace a schizophrenic split in the mind rather than accept an Inconvenient Truth.

Can you blame them? It's more than inconvenient; it's a staggering realization that changes everything.

When you confront the beliefs of the ignorant, the first reaction is violent denial.

Those of scientific bent have a bit more flexibility.  I admit it was difficult for me to accept the truth in the beginning.  

Not at all that I didn't believe the science, science doesn't lie.  

But that we, the supposedly most enlightened, could be so insufferably thoughtless, selfish and stupid as to soil our own nest.

I’m over all that now.  Mine is not to question the way of the universe.  So I accept what is and do the best I can.

But the first step to healing is admitting you have a problem.  If we don’t face up to this, and soon, it will become too late to do anything about it.  Then all bets are off.

Answer 12

Dr Smith!!!! LMFAO.....

By people do you mean nearly everyone??

--In May 2005, 79% said global warming represented an “extremely important” (41%) or an “important” (38%) threat to the US in the next ten years. Only 18% said it was “not an important threat.” (German Marshall Fund) [1]

--In July 2004, 84% said global warming represented a “critical threat” (37%) or an “important but not critical threat” (47%) to the US in the next ten years, while only 14% said it was “not an important threat at all.” This was up slightly from 79% in June 2002. Those saying global warming is a “critical threat” was down from 46% though this was counter-balanced by a sharp upward movement among those saying “important but not critical threat” (33%). Those saying it was “not an important threat at all” was down from 18%. (CCFR) [3]

Lets just for a moment presume that these people do not have the same qualifications as yourself. Do you really think that the majority of the public are so stupid they will believe anything??

Face facts mate, most of these people are intelligent, educated and able to form a well balanced opinion.

Answer 13

People are sheep and will fall for the stupidest things. They do little or no research.

Pointing to leo and Benjamin... See what I mean?