Understanding the Global Warming Debate - 2393 Words

Throughout history climates have drastically changed. There have been shifts from warm climates to the Ice Ages (Cunningham Cunningham, 2009, p.204). Evidence suggests there have been at least a dozen abrupt climate changes throughout the history of the earth. There are a few suspected reasons for these past climate changes. One reason may be that asteroids hitting the earth and volcanic eruptions caused some of them. A further assumption is that 22-year solar magnetic cycles and 11-year sunspot cycles played a part in the changes. A further possibility is that a regular shifting in the angle of the moon orbiting earth, with the ensuing changing tides and atmospheric circulation, affects the global climate (Cunningham Cunningham,†¦show more content†¦Finally, they claim that ExxonMobile’s relationships with government officials have made it possible for them to block federal policies (Easton, 2009, p.155). Next, is data showing that increasing greenhouse gases caused by human activities is causing directly observed climate changes. The first resulting climate change discussed is warming global surface temperature. There has been an increase in global surface temperature of 0.74 degrees C since the late 19th century. In the last 50 years alone the temperature has increased by 0.13 degrees C per decade. North America and Eurasia have seen the largest increase in warmth (Easterling Karl, 2011, para6). Further, the hottest years recorded since instrument recording of temperatures became possible were from 1995 to 2006. Plus, new measurement analysis of the lower and mid-troposphere show comparable temperature rising rates as surface temperatures (Alley et al., 2007, p.5). Also, in this past century the arctic temperature average has doubled in comparison to the global temperature average (Alley et al., 2007, p.7). In addition, borehole temperatures, snow cover, and glacier recessio n data all seem to agree with recent warming (Easterling Karl, 2011, para11). Scientists are saying that the difference between the warming period at the end of the Ice Age and the warming happening now is that the warming at the end of the Ice Age was very gradual over a span of 5,000 years, but the warming now isShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming Forewords Global warming is the result of a large concentration of CO2 and1400 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal Warming Forewords Global warming is the result of a large concentration of CO2 and greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and emissions are held responsible for this situation developing. The climate change is the result, and a factor of global warming. There are several factors impacting global warming, and these include ozone layer depletion, carbon cycle, pollution, human actions, and orbit of the earth. There is a debateRead MoreWhat We Know About Climate Change By Kerry Emanuel1140 Words   |  5 PagesWhat We Know About Climate Change by Kerry Emanuel aims to address this issue of Earth’s vulnerability head-on as it suggests the plausible causes for the undeniable planetary warming observed in the last century all the while proposing pragmatic solutions to discontinue the unnatural processes credited with the abnormal warming. Brimming with absorbing and educative statistics and facts, What We Know About Climate Change first chooses to challenge the notion that the Earth is inherently unvaryingRead More Global Warming Essay example897 Words   |  4 Pagesperson reflects on the term global warming, they may perceive this term to relatively mean warmth that is taking place within our world. Warming that can possibly lead to potential threat to the environment and those amongst it. 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