If their is no such thing as a normal global temperature how can their be such thing as global warming?

Question

with no such thing as 'normal' temp how can their be such thing as global warming?

Answer 1

The various local temperature are increasing, with few exceptions, so in general, the globe is getting warmer.

To understand this, imagine everyone got a 5% salary increase at their job.  But some are paid more than other, as a function of experience and responsibilities, and the income fluctuates from month to month, due to some months having more work days than other.  Is there a normal salary?  But everyone got more, in the end, didn't they?

Answer 2

It's true there's no normal temperature, but....

We know what the temperature is now, where it's going, and why:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Instr...

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Ima...

We know what will happen to our civilization if we don't do something about it:

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNe...

So it  we should do something about it.

Answer 3

Is there anyone who has an exact time line of how long we (humans) have been monitoring weather patterns and temps? And does solar activity have any affect on the earths magnetic fields thus changing our air and wind patterns changing our weather and temps?

Answer 4

Where ("on earth" LOL) would you get such a misinformed idea that "there is no such thing as a normal global temperature"?

Temperature is a COMPARATIVE measurement, which means it is measured against a reference point.  If you make multiple measurements of ANYTHING you will have data, allowing you to calculate means, medians and distributions.

If your data points plot a rising or falling line, then you obviously have warming or cooling.

There is NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER that the average temperature of the planet is rising; the only debate is whether humans are causing it!

Answer 5

Umm... as far as I know, there is a normal temperature. It varies from places and whether or not there's an ice age, but there is still a normal range.

Answer 6

The global temperature has changed constantly throughout the history of our planet

Global warming and Global cooling has happened on countless occasions.

The reason why there is concern about it is at the moment the climate is good for humans and if it changed we would have problems. Replace the words normal global temperature with the words human friendly temperature I don't think anyone would want it to change.

If it doesn't happen that would be great but what if it did? Wouldn't we wish we had tried to do something?

Answer 7

Easy.  The average temperature on earth is either cooling of warming.  It doesn't matter what normal is.