http://www.petitionproject.org/
Scientists against Man-made global warming. So much for consensus, Al.
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http://www.petitionproject.org/
Scientists against Man-made global warming. So much for consensus, Al.
when I started this thread, a long time ago, honestly, who could ever have imagined how many would sign on the stupid line....
Wow.
And the beat goes on. I wont bore with the recent numbers, like the warmest 1st 1st qtr globally on record, or the tornadoes......
Hang in there doubters. Im sure youll be vindicated soon....
So numbers and stuff, huh. Snow in multiple states in May, two slower than average hurricane seasons, the earth not warming for the past several years. I am doubting that man made global warming that Big Al is touting is all its cracked up to be. The numbers are there that show this as a economy scam on a global level.
Tornadoes are a fact of life in the midwest as are hurricanes in the gulf states and snow in the mountains.
there won't be any vindication as long as warmists are using tornadoes as proof. :icon_roll:Quote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
in fact, i don't expect any vindication in my lifetime. warmists have hedged their bets sufficiently to carry on their cause for many years to come no matter what happens. if the current warming trend continues, it's runaway greenhouse effect. if it gives way to a cooling trend, we've changed weather patterns enough to force the earth into a new ice age. you guys can't lose. this will go down as the chicken little generation.
U.S. Senate Report: Over 400 Prominent Scientists Disputed Man-Made Global Warming Claims in 2007Report Released on December 20, 2007
Senate Report Debunks "Consensus"
U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (Minority)
http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.c...eReport#report
Over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called "consensus" on man-made global warming. These scientists, many of whom are current and former participants in the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), criticized the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore.
This blockbuster Senate report lists the scientists by name, country of residence, and academic/institutional affiliation. It also features their own words, biographies, and weblinks to their peer reviewed studies and original source materials as gathered from public statements, various news outlets, and websites in 2007. This new "consensus busters" report is poised to redefine the debate.
Paleoclimatologist Dr. Tim Patterson, professor in the department of Earth Sciences at Carleton University in Ottawa, recently converted from a believer in man-made climate change to a skeptic. Patterson noted that the notion of a "consensus" of scientists aligned with the UN IPCC or former Vice President Al Gore is false. "I was at the Geological Society of America meeting in Philadelphia in the fall and I would say that people with my opinion were probably in the majority."
The distinguished scientists featured in this new report are experts in diverse fields, including: climatology; geology; biology; glaciology; biogeography; meteorology; oceanography; economics; chemistry; mathematics; environmental sciences; engineering; physics and paleoclimatology. Some of those profiled have won Nobel Prizes for their outstanding contribution to their field of expertise and many shared a portion of the UN IPCC Nobel Peace Prize with Vice President Gore.
Additionally, these scientists hail from prestigious institutions worldwide, including: Harvard University; NASA; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR); Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the UN IPCC; the Danish National Space Center; U.S. Department of Energy; Princeton University; the Environmental Protection Agency; University of Pennsylvania; Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the International Arctic Research Centre; the Pasteur Institute in Paris; the Belgian Weather Institute; Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute; the University of Helsinki; the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S., France, and Russia; the University of Pretoria; University of Notre Dame; Stockholm University; University of Melbourne; Columbia University; the World Federation of Scientists; and the University of London.
Over 100 Prominent Scientists Warn UN Against 'Futile' Climate Control Efforts
"Significant new peer-reviewed research has cast even more doubt on the hypothesis of dangerous human-caused global warming."
BALI, Indonesia - The UN climate conference met strong opposition Thursday from a team of over 100 prominent international scientists, who warned the UN, that attempting to control the Earth's climate was "ultimately futile."
The scientists, many of whom are current and former UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scientists, sent an open letter to the UN Secretary-General questioning the scientific basis for climate fears and the UN's so-called "solutions."
"Attempts to prevent global climate change from occurring are ultimately futile, and constitute a tragic misallocation of resources that would be better spent on humanity's real and pressing problems," the letter signed by the scientists read. The December 13 letter was released to the public late Thursday. (LINK)
The letter was signed by renowned scientists such as Dr. Antonio Zichichi, president of the World Federation of Scientists; Dr. Reid Bryson, dubbed the "Father of Meteorology"; Atmospheric pioneer Dr. Hendrik Tennekes, formerly of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute; Award winning physicist Dr. Syun-Ichi Akasofu of the International Arctic Research Center, who has twice named one of the "1000 Most Cited Scientists"; Award winning MIT atmospheric scientist Dr. Richard Lindzen; UN IPCC scientist Dr. Vincent Gray of New Zealand; French climatologist Dr. Marcel Leroux of the University Jean Moulin; World authority on sea level Dr. Nils-Axel Morner of Stockholm University; Physicist Dr. Freeman Dyson of Princeton University; Physicist Dr. Zbigniew Jaworowski, chairman of the Scientific Council of Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection in Poland; Paleoclimatologist Dr. Robert M. Carter of Australia; Former UN IPCC reviewer Geologist/Geochemist Dr. Tom V. Segalstad, head of the Geological Museum in Norway; and Dr. Edward J. Wegman, of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
"It is not possible to stop climate change, a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages. Geological, archaeological, oral and written histories all attest to the dramatic challenges posed to past societies from unanticipated changes in temperature, precipitation, winds and other climatic variables," the scientists wrote.
"In stark contrast to the often repeated assertion that the science of climate change is ‘settled,' significant new peer-reviewed research has cast even more doubt on the hypothesis of dangerous human-caused global warming," the open letter added.
The scientists' letter continued: "The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued increasingly alarming conclusions about the climatic influences of human-produced carbon dioxide (CO2), a non-polluting gas that is essential to plant photosynthesis. While we understand the evidence that has led them to view CO2 emissions as harmful, the IPCC's conclusions are quite inadequate as justification for implementing policies that will markedly diminish future prosperity. In particular, it is not established that it is possible to significantly alter global climate through cuts in human greenhouse gas emissions."
"The IPCC Summaries for Policy Makers are the most widely read IPCC reports amongst politicians and non-scientists and are the basis for most climate change policy formulation. Yet these Summaries are prepared by a relatively small core writing team with the final drafts approved line-by-line by government representatives. The great majority of IPCC contributors and reviewers, and the tens of thousands of other scientists who are qualified to comment on these matters, are not involved in the preparation of these documents. The summaries therefore cannot properly be represented as a consensus view among experts," the letter added.
Open Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
Dec. 13, 2007
His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General, United Nations
New York, N.Y.
Dear Mr. Secretary-General,
Re: UN climate conference taking the World in entirely the wrong direction
It is not possible to stop climate change, a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages. Geological, archaeological, oral and written histories all attest to the dramatic challenges posed to past societies from unanticipated changes in temperature, precipitation, winds and other climatic variables. We therefore need to equip nations to become resilient to the full range of these natural phenomena by promoting economic growth and wealth generation.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued increasingly alarming conclusions about the climatic influences of human-produced carbon dioxide (CO2), a non-polluting gas that is essential to plant photosynthesis. While we understand the evidence that has led them to view CO2 emissions as harmful, the IPCC's conclusions are quite inadequate as justification for implementing policies that will markedly diminish future prosperity. In particular, it is not established that it is possible to significantly alter global climate through cuts in human greenhouse gas emissions. On top of which, because attempts to cut emissions will slow development, the current UN approach of CO2 reduction is likely to increase human suffering from future climate change rather than to decrease it.
The IPCC Summaries for Policy Makers are the most widely read IPCC reports amongst politicians and non-scientists and are the basis for most climate change policy formulation. Yet these Summaries are prepared by a relatively small core writing team with the final drafts approved line-by-line by government representatives. The great majority of IPCC contributors and reviewers, and the tens of thousands of other scientists who are qualified to comment on these matters, are not involved in the preparation of these documents. The summaries therefore cannot properly be represented as a consensus view among experts.
Contrary to the impression left by the IPCC Summary reports:
Recent observations of phenomena such as glacial retreats, sea-level rise and the migration of temperature-sensitive species are not evidence for abnormal climate change, for none of these changes has been shown to lie outside the bounds of known natural variability.
The average rate of warming of 0.1 to 0. 2 degrees Celsius per decade recorded by satellites during the late 20th century falls within known natural rates of warming and cooling over the last 10,000 years.
Leading scientists, including some senior IPCC representatives, acknowledge that today's computer models cannot predict climate. Consistent with this, and despite computer projections of temperature rises, there has been no net global warming since 1998. That the current temperature plateau follows a late 20th-century period of warming is consistent with the continuation today of natural multi-decadal or millennial climate cycling.
In stark contrast to the often repeated assertion that the science of climate change is "settled," significant new peer-reviewed research has cast even more doubt on the hypothesis of dangerous human-caused global warming. But because IPCC working groups were generally instructed (see http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/docs/wg...2006-08-14.pdf) to consider work published only through May, 2005, these important findings are not included in their reports; i.e., the IPCC assessment reports are already materially outdated.
The UN climate conference in Bali has been planned to take the world along a path of severe CO2 restrictions, ignoring the lessons apparent from the failure of the Kyoto Protocol, the chaotic nature of the European CO2 trading market, and the ineffectiveness of other costly initiatives to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Balanced cost/benefit analyses provide no support for the introduction of global measures to cap and reduce energy consumption for the purpose of restricting CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it is irrational to apply the "precautionary principle" because many scientists recognize that both climatic coolings and warmings are realistic possibilities over the medium-term future.
The current UN focus on "fighting climate change," as illustrated in the Nov. 27 UN Development Programme's Human Development Report, is distracting governments from adapting to the threat of inevitable natural climate changes, whatever forms they may take. National and international planning for such changes is needed, with a focus on helping our most vulnerable citizens adapt to conditions that lie ahead. Attempts to prevent global climate change from occurring are ultimately futile, and constitute a tragic misallocation of resources that would be better spent on humanity's real and pressing problems.
Yours faithfully,
Don Aitkin, PhD, Professor, social scientist, retired vice-chancellor and president, University of Canberra, Australia
William J.R. Alexander, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Civil and Biosystems Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Member, UN Scientific and Technical Committee on Natural Disasters, 1994-2000
Bjarne Andresen, PhD, physicist, Professor, The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Geoff L. Austin, PhD, FNZIP, FRSNZ, Professor, Dept. of Physics, University of Auckland, New Zealand
Timothy F. Ball, PhD, environmental consultant, former climatology professor, University of Winnipeg
Ernst-Georg Beck, Dipl. Biol., Biologist, Merian-Schule Freiburg, Germany
Sonja A. Boehmer-Christiansen, PhD, Reader, Dept. of Geography, Hull University, U.K.; Editor, Energy & Environment journal
Chris C. Borel, PhD, remote sensing scientist, U.S.
Reid A. Bryson, PhD, DSc, DEngr, UNE P. Global 500 Laureate; Senior Scientist, Center for Climatic Research; Emeritus Professor of Meteorology, of Geography, and of Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin
Dan Carruthers, M.Sc., wildlife biology consultant specializing in animal ecology in Arctic and Subarctic regions, Alberta
R.M. Carter, PhD, Professor, Marine Geophysical Laboratory, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
Ian D. Clark, PhD, Professor, isotope hydrogeology and paleoclimatology, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of Ottawa
Richard S. Courtney, PhD, climate and atmospheric science consultant, IPCC expert reviewer, U.K.
Willem de Lange, PhD, Dept. of Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Science and Engineering, Waikato University, New Zealand
David Deming, PhD (Geophysics), Associate Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oklahoma
Freeman J. Dyson, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton, N.J.
Don J. Easterbrook, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Geology, Western Washington University
Lance Endersbee, Emeritus Professor, former dean of Engineering and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Monasy University, Australia
Hans Erren, Doctorandus, geophysicist and climate specialist, Sittard, The Netherlands
Robert H. Essenhigh, PhD, E.G. Bailey Professor of Energy Conversion, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, The Ohio State University
Christopher Essex, PhD, Professor of Applied Mathematics and Associate Director of the Program in Theoretical Physics, University of Western Ontario
David Evans, PhD, mathematician, carbon accountant, computer and electrical engineer and head of ‘Science Speak,' Australia
William Evans, PhD, editor, American Midland Naturalist; Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame
Stewart Franks, PhD, Professor, Hydroclimatologist, University of Newcastle, Australia
R. W. Gauldie, PhD, Research Professor, Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, School of Ocean Earth Sciences and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Lee C. Gerhard, PhD, Senior Scientist Emeritus, University of Kansas; former director and state geologist, Kansas Geological Survey
Gerhard Gerlich, Professor for Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, Institut für Mathematische Physik der TU Braunschweig, Germany
Albrecht Glatzle, PhD, sc.agr., Agro-Biologist and Gerente ejecutivo, INTTAS, Paraguay
Fred Goldberg, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Royal Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Stockholm, Sweden
Vincent Gray, PhD, expert reviewer for the IPCC and author of The Greenhouse Delusion: A Critique of ‘Climate Change 2001, Wellington, New Zealand
William M. Gray, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University and Head of the Tropical Meteorology Project
Howard Hayden, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Connecticut
Louis Hissink MSc, M.A.I.G., editor, AIG News, and consulting geologist, Perth, Western Australia
Craig D. Idso, PhD, Chairman, Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, Arizona
Sherwood B. Idso, PhD, President, Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, AZ, USA
Andrei Illarionov, PhD, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity; founder and director of the Institute of Economic Analysis
Zbigniew Jaworowski, PhD, physicist, Chairman - Scientific Council of Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection, Warsaw, Poland
Jon Jenkins, PhD, MD, computer modelling - virology, NSW, Australia
Wibjorn Karlen, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Dept. of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Sweden
Olavi Kärner, Ph.D., Research Associate, Dept. of Atmospheric Physics, Institute of Astrophysics and Atmospheric Physics, Toravere, Estonia
Joel M. Kauffman, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
David Kear, PhD, FRSNZ, CMG, geologist, former Director-General of NZ Dept. of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Zealand
Madhav Khandekar, PhD, former research scientist, Environment Canada; editor, Climate Research (2003-05); editorial board member, Natural Hazards; IPCC expert reviewer 2007
William Kininmonth M.Sc., M.Admin., former head of Australia's National Climate Centre and a consultant to the World Meteorological organization's Commission for Climatology Jan J.H. Kop, MSc Ceng FICE (Civil Engineer Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers), Emeritus Prof. of Public Health Engineering, Technical University Delft, The Netherlands
Prof. R.W.J. Kouffeld, Emeritus Professor, Energy Conversion, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Salomon Kroonenberg, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Geotechnology, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Hans H.J. Labohm, PhD, economist, former advisor to the executive board, Clingendael Institute (The Netherlands Institute of International Relations), The Netherlands
The Rt. Hon. Lord Lawson of Blaby, economist; Chairman of the Central Europe Trust; former Chancellor of the Exchequer, U.K.
Douglas Leahey, PhD, meteorologist and air-quality consultant, Calgary
David R. Legates, PhD, Director, Center for Climatic Research, University of Delaware
Marcel Leroux, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Climatology, University of Lyon, France; former director of Laboratory of Climatology, Risks and Environment, CNRS
Bryan Leyland, International Climate Science Coalition, consultant and power engineer, Auckland, New Zealand
William Lindqvist, PhD, independent consulting geologist, Calif.
Richard S. Lindzen, PhD, Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A.J. Tom van Loon, PhD, Professor of Geology (Quaternary Geology), Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland; former President of the European Association of Science Editors
Anthony R. Lupo, PhD, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, Dept. of Soil, Environmental, and Atmospheric Science, University of Missouri-Columbia
Richard Mackey, PhD, Statistician, Australia
Horst Malberg, PhD, Professor for Meteorology and Climatology, Institut für Meteorologie, Berlin, Germany
John Maunder, PhD, Climatologist, former President of the Commission for Climatology of the World Meteorological Organization (89-97), New Zealand
Alister McFarquhar, PhD, international economy, Downing College, Cambridge, U.K.
Ross McKitrick, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Economics, University of Guelph
John McLean, PhD, climate data analyst, computer scientist, Australia
Owen McShane, PhD, economist, head of the International Climate Science Coalition; Director, Centre for Resource Management Studies, New Zealand
Fred Michel, PhD, Director, Institute of Environmental Sciences and Associate Professor of Earth Sciences, Carleton University
Frank Milne, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Economics, Queen's University
Asmunn Moene, PhD, former head of the Forecasting Centre, Meteorological Institute, Norway
Alan Moran, PhD, Energy Economist, Director of the IPA's Deregulation Unit, Australia
Nils-Axel Morner, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Paleogeophysics & Geodynamics, Stockholm University, Sweden
Lubos Motl, PhD, Physicist, former Harvard string theorist, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
John Nicol, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Physics, James Cook University, Australia
David Nowell, M.Sc., Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, former chairman of the NATO Meteorological Group, Ottawa
James J. O'Brien, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Meteorology and Oceanography, Florida State University
Cliff Ollier, PhD, Professor Emeritus (Geology), Research Fellow, University of Western Australia
Garth W. Paltridge, PhD, atmospheric physicist, Emeritus Professor and former Director of the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Studies, University of Tasmania, Australia
R. Timothy Patterson, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Earth Sciences (paleoclimatology), Carleton University
Al Pekarek, PhD, Associate Professor of Geology, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Dept., St. Cloud State University, Minnesota
Ian Plimer, PhD, Professor of Geology, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide and Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
Brian Pratt, PhD, Professor of Geology, Sedimentology, University of Saskatchewan
Harry N.A. Priem, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Planetary Geology and Isotope Geophysics,
Utrecht University; former director of the Netherlands Institute for Isotope Geosciences
Alex Robson, PhD, Economics, Australian National University Colonel F.P.M. Rombouts, Branch Chief - Safety, Quality and Environment, Royal Netherland Air Force
R.G. Roper, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Arthur Rorsch, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Molecular Genetics, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Rob Scagel, M.Sc., forest microclimate specialist, principal consultant, Pacific Phytometric Consultants, B.C.
Tom V. Segalstad, PhD, (Geology/Geochemistry), Head of the Geological Museum and Associate Professor of Resource and Environmental Geology, University of Oslo, Norway
Gary D. Sharp, PhD, Center for Climate/Ocean Resources Study, Salinas, CA
S. Fred Singer, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia and former director Weather Satellite Service
L. Graham Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, Dept. of Geography, University of Western Ontario
Roy W. Spencer, PhD, climatologist, Principal Research Scientist, Earth System Science Center, The University of Alabama, Huntsville
Peter Stilbs, TeknD, Professor of Physical Chemistry, Research Leader, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), Stockholm, Sweden
Hendrik Tennekes, PhD, former director of research, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Dick Thoenes, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Brian G Valentine, PhD, PE (Chem.), Technology Manager - Industrial Energy Efficiency, Adjunct Associate Professor of Engineering Science, University of Maryland at College Park; Dept of Energy, Washington, DC
Gerrit J. van der Lingen, PhD, geologist and paleoclimatologist, climate change consultant, Geoscience Research and Investigations, New Zealand
Len Walker, PhD, Power Engineering, Australia
Edward J. Wegman, PhD, Department of Computational and Data Sciences, George Mason University, Virginia
Stephan Wilksch, PhD, Professor for Innovation and Technology Management, Production Management and Logistics, University of Technolgy and Economics Berlin, Germany
Boris Winterhalter, PhD, senior marine researcher (retired), Geological Survey of Finland, former professor in marine geology, University of Helsinki, Finland
David E. Wojick, PhD, P.Eng., energy consultant, Virginia
Raphael Wust, PhD, Lecturer, Marine Geology/Sedimentology, James Cook University, Australia
A. Zichichi, PhD, President of the World Federation of Scientists, Geneva, Switzerland; Emeritus Professor of Advanced Physics, University of Bologna, Italy
hmmm....My response to Altadawg:Quote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
http://www.globalwarminghype.com/blo...y080325-143126
Dear AltaDawg,
Global warming is a controversial subject and highly complex. In fact, it is so complex that most adults do not understand it either. Even scientists, professors, and teachers have different opinions regarding global warming. Many people believe that global warming is a crisis that will someday destroy mankind. Some people do not even believe that global warming exists. After all, this year was one of the coldest winters in decades. And the hottest year on record was back in 1998, ten years ago. But I believe that the truth lies somewhere between these two extreme opinions.
You may have heard that there is a “consensus” among the scientific community that global warming is caused by increasing amounts of carbon dioxide(CO2) being released into our atmosphere by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gasoline. CO2 is referred to as a “greenhouse gas.” Greenhouse gasses are an important part of our atmosphere. They form a protective “lid” on our planet that keeps the warmth from escaping into space. Without greenhouse gasses, the Earth would be too cold to support life as we know it. Though it is true that burning fossil fuels has caused a significant increase in carbon dioxide levels during the last 150 years, there is little or no evidence that this increase in CO2 has caused the Earth’s temperature to rise. Humans have been burning fossil fuels in significant amounts for about 150 years. CO2 levels in our atmosphere have been rising steadily during that same period. However, from the 1940’s through the 1970’s, the average temperature did not rise. It dropped. In fact, there is a relationship between CO2 and temperature, but it is different than what is described in the movie “An Inconvenient Truth.” By drilling deep into the polar ice caps, scientists can unlock samples of the Earth’s atmosphere that were trapped thousands of years ago. After examining these ancient samples of our air and comparing the data to global temperatures gathered from tree rings, coral reefs, and other fossil records, scientists have discovered that CO2 has historically not driven temperatures up. Quite the opposite is true. Rising temperatures occurred at many times over the last 650,000 years and each time CO2 levels rose 600-800 years AFTER the temperature increased. So it appears that the temperature goes up first, and the CO2 levels follow, not the other way around. Until recently, the reason for this was not understood. Some scientists now believe they may have found the answer. We know that the oceans on our planet absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphere when the water is colder, and then release it back into the air when the water warms up. The Earth’s oceans are so large that it takes several hundred years for them to warm a few degrees. When they finally warm, they release CO2 back into the atmosphere. This is why some scientists believe that CO2 levels rise several hundred years after the temperature increases. One thing is certain, higher CO2 levels in the atmosphere have never caused the Earth’s temperature to rise in the past. However, that does not mean that CO2 levels will not affect temperatures in the future. More study is needed.
Besides carbon dioxide, there are other “greenhouse gasses.” Methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2. Fortunately, there is much less of it in our atmosphere. But humans are also producing methane in large amounts, mostly by raising livestock such as cattle for food. But the most important greenhouse gas of all is water vapor. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas. It is responsible for the overwhelming majority of the “greenhouse effect” on Planet Earth. Humans have no affect on water vapor.
The Earth’s temperature is constantly rising and falling. There are many times during Earth’s history when the global temperature was warmer than it is today. There are many factors that occur in nature which cause the temperature to rise (and fall). The least of these is humans. Changes in the sun (solar cycles) affect the temperature on all the planets in our solar system, including Earth. Temperatures on Mars and the other planets have also been rising over the last several decades. Obviously, humans are not causing the temperatures on other planets to rise.
Cosmic rays from other solar systems in our galaxy affect the formation of clouds on planet Earth. These changes in cloud cover also affect the global temperature on the Earth. There are many other natural causes of climate change. The truth is that no one completely understands all the forces of nature that affect our climate. We are learning more about climate change every day, but we still have a lot to learn.
The Planet Is Fine
In your letter you asked “When will the world be completely covered in water?” The answer is NEVER. It’s true that the oceans are rising just as they have done many times in the past between ice ages. They rise 3 to 4 inches every century. This is a natural occurring cycle that been going on for millions of years. You may have seen pictures on TV or in movies of glaciers breaking apart and falling into the sea. This is also a natural process called glacier calving. This does not necessarily mean that the glacier is melting. Calving is what happens when a glacier grows so big that it can no longer support its own weight. It gets so heavy that portions of it break off and fall into the sea.
It is important to understand that even if all the ice in the Arctic Ocean melted tomorrow, the world’s oceans would not even rise one single inch. The reason for this is simple. When water freezes and becomes ice, it expands and takes up more room (volume). If you put a bottle of water your freezer, the bottle will break when the water freezes. When ice that is already in the ocean melts, the part that was above the surface only displaces the part that was frozen under the water so the water level doesn’t change. To demonstrate this, put an ice cube in a glass of water and fill it to the brim with water. When the ice cube melts, does the water in the glass overflow? The answer is no. Only the melting of land-based ice can cause the sea levels to rise.
Some scientists point to the Greenland Ice Sheet as evidence of global warming. The Greenland Ice sheet is different from the ice in the Arctic Ocean because it sits on top of land. Some scientists say that if the Greenland Ice Sheet melts, it will raise the Earth’s sea level by 20 feet. This is unlikely to happen any time soon, but there is evidence that Greenland was not always completely covered with ice. When the Vikings settled in Greenland, about a thousand years ago, the climate was much warmer than it is today. Though Greenland was not entirely green at the time, the southern part was very green in the late summer months and the average temperature was not as cold as it is today. A Viking named Erik The Red settled there and named it Greenland because he thought more people would interested in visiting there if it had an appealing name.
It is also important to understand that the ice at the South Pole is land-based ice. The ice that covers Antarctica is many times larger than the ice covering Greenland. But you might be surprised to learn that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is actually growing, not shrinking.
When I was in high school back in the 1970’s my science teacher brought in an article from Newsweek Magazine called “The Cooling World.” I have included a copy of it for you to read. Since the Earth had been going through a period of cooling for 30 years, some scientists believed that we were heading for another Ice Age. They feared that much of the land used to grow crops would be frozen and that many people would starve. Of course this turned out not to be true, but Newsweek sold a lot of magazines that week.
Remember the story of Chicken Little? As long as humans have been around, there have been people predicting the end of the world. Not one of them has ever been right. Obviously, we’re all still here so don’t worry, the planet is fine. I am including a great book for your project called “The Sky’s Not Falling” by Holly Fretwell. Please read it and share it with your parents, friends and teachers. It is the best global warming book available for children your age.
The Polar Bears Are NOT Dying
You may have been told that polar bears are in danger because of global warming. This is simply not true. Back in the 1960’s (when I was in the 6th grade) polar bears were in serious trouble. It was estimated that there were less than 5,000 polar bears left. Now there are over 25,000. That’s an increase of 500%!
You may have been told that polar bears are in danger because of global warming. This is simply not true. Back in the 1950’s polar bears were in serious trouble. It was estimated that there were less than 5,000 polar bears left. Now there are 25,000. That’s an increase of 500%!
The reason the polar bears are fine now is because humans stopped hunting them. It’s as simple as that. No matter how many pictures you see, no matter how many stories you hear, global warming is NOT killing the polar bears. When you see movies of polar bears swimming in the open ocean they are not drowning. They are excellent swimmers and have been documented to swim for 60 miles in open water.
Is Global Warming Our Fault?
In your letter you asked “How can we stop global warming?” That’s a great question. I’m not sure we can. We humans aren’t even sure that we’re causing it. Perhaps a better question would be “Should we even try to stop it?” Throughout man’s history, more people have been killed by cold climates than by warm climates. The climate is going to change no matter what we do. Sometimes it’s going to be warming, and sometimes it’s going to be cooling. I believe we should try to be as prepared for climate changes as best we can, whether the climate gets warmer, or colder. One undeniable (and inconvenient for some) truth is that even if we got rid of all the cars on the planet, we wouldn’t make a significant difference in the global temperature of Planet Earth.
You asked if air pollution is part of the problem. Air pollution is NOT part of the global warming problem. Pollution is a separate issue. They are two different things. No one wants to breathe dirty air. But carbon dioxide is not pollution; at least it wasn’t until a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. Pollution from burning fossil fuels including carbon monoxide(CO), ozone, sulfur dioxide(SO2), nitrogen dioxide(NO2) and others are what make that icky yellow haze that we call smog. These gasses and particles are harmful to humans when we breathe them. But carbon dioxide(CO2) is an important natural part of our atmosphere. Just as we humans need oxygen(O2) to breath, plants need carbon dioxide. All green plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. No carbon dioxide, no plants. And since plants give us the oxygen that we humans need to breath, no plants no humans.
Solar, Wind, and other Renewal Energies
Solar Cars – “Why are they making them so expensive?” They answer to this one is simple. Where does the price of a solar car come from? Who decides how much the car will cost? The price of a solar car is determined by how much somebody is willing to pay for it (the buyer). Right now, solar cars and other alternative energy-powered cars are more expensive because less people want them. This is called “supply and demand.” If more people wanted to buy them, then more people would want to build them. As more companies begin to build them they will have to compete with other companies to get your business. This would eventually drive the cost of these new cars down until everyone can afford them. And it appears that this will happen soon. The price of oil is now at record levels, over $110.00 per barrel. When the price of oil and gasoline becomes too expensive, people will be forced to use different kinds of energy to power their cars and heat their homes. As more and more people become interested in solar and wind power, these technologies will continue to improve and become more efficient. We’re getting close, but we’re not quite there yet.
Conclusion
Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to write to me. I have never been asked to write to a 6th grader before. I hope this material finds you in time to complete your project and I hope you find it useful. I don’t have any posters to send you but I am including a sticker and the book “The Sky’s Not Falling” which I strongly recommend that you read. Please keep asking questions. Without questions there can be no answers.
Wow. You need to give yourself and saltynotadawg a break. You're signatures on that stupid line are pretty accurate.Quote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
How would you plot the trend since 2000? Flat? Since 2005? Down?Quote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/opini...204-17218.html
tornadoes are on "THE LIST",so obviously GW is responsibleQuote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showt...466#post605466
Yep.Quote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
You'll hear that arctic ice cover is going down:
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosph...rrent.area.jpg
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosph...rrent.anom.jpg
but you don't hear that Antartica is consistent and growing in the last couple of years:
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosph...area.south.jpg
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosph...anom.south.jpg
Minority report. Sen. Inhofe just playing with himself again.Quote:
Originally Posted by DogtorEvil
Oops. Global warming <> tornadoes:Quote:
Originally Posted by altadawg
http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...809824,00.html
Scientists: Why So Many Tornadoes?
Tuesday, May. 27, 2008 By AP/SETH BORENSTEIN
But like someone who has lost all his worldly possessions to a whirlwind, meteorologists cannot explain exactly why this is happening.
"There are active years and we don't particularly understand why," said research meteorologist Harold Brooks at the National Severe Storms Lab in Norman, Okla.
Global warming cannot really explain what is happening, Carbin said. While higher temperatures could increase the number of thunderstorms, which are needed to trigger tornadoes, they also would tend to push the storm systems too far north to form some twisters, he said.
La Nina, the cooling of parts of the Central Pacific that is the flip side El Nino, was a factor in the increased activity earlier this year — especially in February, a record month for tornado activity — but it can't explain what is happening now, according to Carbin.
Carbin explained the most recent tornadoes with just one word: "May." May is typically the busiest tornado month of the year.
Dammital, we need to have Congress impose a tax on May or at least put a tornado cap and trade system in place. Al Gore should also kick off another $300MM ad campaign.
This could be the icing on the cake.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0528140255.htm
Food price inflation is just the beginning. But don't worry, be happy.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/n...-1n28food.html
The biggest "stretch" in this hypothesis is the rather far out assumption that the earth was TOTALLY covered with ice during a cold interval. There is no geologic evidense to support such an assumption, but this outrageous assumption was probably required to support the rest of the "theory".Quote:
Originally Posted by saltydawg