is global warming happening at an exponential rate?
115902
Wow zaheers writing IS happening at an exponential rate, But it was a good answer, because bottom line we have no hard facts that prove exponential growth, recently of warming, lots of good theories though.
931932
According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades.  As the earth grows warmer and more greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere we will see changes in weather patterns and average seasonal temperatures.  Coastal flooding and severe storms will happen more often.\n\nThese sites should help you.
17237
Global temperature has gone through many changes, some of which were natural cycles grounded in astronomy (solar activities, changes in earth's orbit), others of which have been natural catastrophes like meteoric strikes or huge volcanic eruptions. \n\nThe rapid consumption of fossile fuels and the production of other greenhouse gases doubtlessly has influenced the average temperature and increased the rise of it. Whether it is the sole determining factor cannot be said, because all observations can only be made overlaid with all the natural factors.\n\nFor this reason, experts still debate...
444694
Read Michael Crichton's State of Fear. From my various reading I have learned that the earth was warmer in 1300 A.D. long before cars and it was one of the most prosperous times in history. This was before the Black Plague, of course. More land was arable and human and animal populations were flourishing. It is really impossible to tell as the Earth is in the middle of a natural warming period right now. The tree huggers will never tell you about the glaciers in Iceland that are getting bigger and the parts of Antarctica where the ice sheet is getting thicker. I am a liberal, I am for nurturing the environment. I believe common sense dictates that vehicle emissions are bad for the earth in making our air more noxious, but to answer your specific question, nobody knows because there are too many factors.
627728
The fact that the globe has been slowly warming up ever since the last ice age should be reason enough to suspect that global warming isn't at all a catastrophe.  We people on Earth really need to start looking to other problems like natural resources.
997939
In this enviroment of Global Warming I would say not. Cold is not cool any more, warming is hot.
202062
Global Warming is cause by solar activity.  The increase in the number of sun spots causes the earth to warm.  The temperatures were hotter in the 1920 than now.  The hurricanes were also just as bad then as now.  A rise in CO2 from 1/4% to 1/3% in the atmosphere has no impact on global temperature.  The scientific community has only been accurately measuring temperatures for 30 years.  The only validated temperature measurement of the earth is from the polar satellite.  In 30 years it has only seen on temperature anomaly.  A rise of 1/4 of a degree caused by the full moon.  No other measurement system has shown the accuracy to measure this rise.  Therefore they are not! The polar ice cap has only been watched for 30 years by satellite.  No one measured it before, so how can they say it is now melting for all time.  They don’t know, they are drawing 1000 year conclusions with 30 years of data.  Not possible, not valid.
142525
I have no doubt about the fact that the planet is warming up. But it has warmed up and cooled down throughout the history of the planet. It even did this before humans were around. Who was to blame for it then? Nature, same as today. More greenhouse gases are released by natural means (without human involvement) each year than what humans have contributed over the last 10 years.
544753
it's really interesting.. the 12% answer is correct as a close approximation.\nThe interesting thing to note is that we are supposed to be causing globabl warming. This figure puts makind really into a good global perspective.\nThe next thing to do is see how much smoke and gas volcanos and thermal springs pump into the world every year. \nThen add in all the gases caused by animal excrement (include human in the numbers), and all the plantlife on the planet (including photosynthesising plants and animals in the oceans) and you start to build a very good picture that mankind is not causing global warmnig.
984253
I'm very skeptical of global warming. When I was a kid back in the seventies the conventional wisdom was there would be a new ice age sometime around the year 2000. It was even a front page story in Time magazine. Fool me once...
305628
many different factors, one being us. Humans speed the natural process of global warming, just like an ice age, the earth every few million years goes through a process of warming, but greenhouse gases and other things that humans do have been speeding up the process. However, we are not the ones that cause it, since it's a natural cycle, so basically this was bound to happen. This has nothing to do with the end of the world or anything crazy like that. Some theories suggest that this will bring another ice age (a lot of water evaporates and creates a thick layer of clouds, preventing the sun from reaching the surface...the temperature gets colder and an ice age occurs. We will probably not live to see these events since they happen over a Long period of time.
249380
definitely. it's practically the one part of global warming scientists agree on.\nover the next century, we will see the oceans warming and thus expanding (sadly flooding places like Venice), also the polar ice caps melting (once again, not good. they keep the earth cool...see a vicious cycle?), not to mention serious climate change and animals migrating to the north to keep cool. it's already happening...yikes!
576511
"Baked in an instant" is not a scientific measure of temperature.\n\nBased on previous cycles of cooling and warming PRIOR to human industrialization it is doubtful that the temperature of the planet will ever become too warm or too cold.  Ice ages come and go, periods of warming come and go, but life on earth has persisted.\n\n("will ever" in this post is defined on human time cycle. Obviously eventually the sun will die and turn into a red giant thus killing all ife on earth)
24509
Partly.\nThe increasing emission of Green House gases in causing Global warming which is making the world's climate go topsy-turvy\n\nNow you have Summer heat waves in Europe, Snow fall in Dubai, the killer Hurricanes\n\nPerhaps it is time for Mankind to step back and think as to why these are happening\n\nBut I should state that Earth Quakes are not quite related to this effect (but then again, you would never know)
1121149
Many scientists believe that we are actually heading toward a global ice-age as opposed to a global warming.  \n\nAlthough a work of FICTION Michael Crichton's "State of Fear" provides evidence to support this.\n\nI suggest reading it (it's FIRST AND FOREMOST a good FICTION book, but is supported by genuine theories and statistics that ARE IN FACT from "Science" and "Nature" magazines, the worlds fore-most scientific mags)\n\nTo be honest I don't think we're experiencing anything unnatural about our environment right now.
1169481
As partisan and insulting a statement (not even question) as that is, there are a few aspects to be addressed when discussing global warming.\n\nGlobal warming is the term used to describe how the average temperature of the planet is going up.  No one denies that the temperature is, in fact, going up.  Therefore, no one denies that global warming is a fact.\n\nHowever, according to studies of Antarctic ice, the average temperature of the planet has been rising for 6,000 years, which is well before the Industrial Revolution of 150 years ago.  This proves that global warming is not caused by man.  In that time, however, the rate of temperature rise has increased, which means that the actions of humanity probably has worsened the situation.\n\nThe critical facts about global warming are these:\n\nWhat are the effects of global warming going to be, and how can we prepare for them?  Currently, no model of global atmospheric projection has shown itself to accurately predict to any degree the general weather patterns of the Earth (such as the number and ferocity of hurricanes).  Until we come up with an accurate way of predicting the effects of global warming, preparing for them will be difficult and based upon conjectures, which are a difficult sell to taxpayers.\n\nWhat can be done to limit the effect of humanity on global warming in the future WITHOUT putting a major damper on economic growth and development, especially in developing nations?  For example, all nations could agree to stop driving vehicles that use internal combustion engines, but to do so at once would devastate the economies of many nations.  However, other options, such as diverting tax funds to subsidize the development of alternative-energy propulsion for vehicles, would accelerate the advent of such earth-friendly technology.\n\nAll in all, because of the massive stakes involved when discussing global warming (and the subsequent misinformation flying around about it), many people are confused as to the facts about it.  I was hoping to be as informative and unbiased as possible.\n\nPlease let me know what you think!
1065506
There are a few aspects to be addressed when discussing global warming...\n\nGlobal warming is the term used to describe how the average temperature of the planet is going up. No one denies that the temperature is, in fact, going up. Therefore, no one denies that global warming is a fact.\n\nHowever, according to studies of Antarctic ice, the average temperature of the planet has been rising for 6,000 years, which is well before the Industrial Revolution of 150 years ago. This proves that global warming is not caused by man. In that time, however, the rate of temperature rise has increased, which means that the actions of humanity probably has worsened the situation.  What has been the degree to which we have?\n\nThe critical questions to be answered about global warming are these:\n\nWhat are the effects of global warming going to be, and how can we prepare for them? Currently, no model of global atmospheric projection has shown itself to accurately predict to any degree the general weather patterns of the Earth (such as the number and ferocity of hurricanes). Until we come up with an accurate way of predicting the effects of global warming, preparing for them will be difficult and based upon conjectures, which are a difficult sell to taxpayers.\n\nWhat can be done to limit the effect of humanity on global warming in the future WITHOUT putting a major damper on economic growth and development, especially in developing nations? For example, all nations could agree to stop driving vehicles that use internal combustion engines, but to do so at once would devastate the economies of many nations. However, other options, such as diverting tax funds to subsidize the development of alternative-energy propulsion for vehicles, would accelerate the advent of such earth-friendly technology.\n\nAll in all, because of the massive stakes involved when discussing global warming (and the subsequent misinformation flying around about it), many people are confused as to the facts about it. I was hoping to be as informative and unbiased as possible.\n\nAnd yes, I am Republican.\n\nPlease let me know what you think!