Why are the polar ice caps 20% less today then in 1978, for everyone who doesnt believe in Global warming?
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.
806057
You're a fool if you don't believe in global warming.  That is happeneing and vetted by alot of scientists.\n\nNow, the cause of global warming is certainly up for discussion/debate.
865117
It's full of lies. Keep in mind, this is the same person who predicted another ice age in the seventies...sorry, i really don't believe in global warming until i get some real facts. After all, how do you think the glaciers melted? The earth had to warm...and that was long before SUV's were around. just my thoughts.
626518
Polar bears are getting there proverbial cold-asses whupped ! Stranded on ice-floes,mother and cubs are separated,the cubs become easy prey and are subject to starvation. Their population is decreasing fast. Also, I understand that there is,or would be an affect to global warming,..green-house gases...ozone layer...stuff like that  \nand us..\nPeace.
4198
Though it may sound crazy, global warming can cause an Ice Age. You see, there's an underwater wall keeping the super-cold water of the Arctic Ocean out of the a lot warmer water of the Alantic Ocean. Global warming makes this wall dissolve, letting the cold water meet the warmer water, overall lowering the temperature of the oceans. Meanwhile, the glaciers start to melt and slide. Now that the oceans aren't as warm, the glacierscan continue to move south and cover a chunk of the Northern Hemisphere in ice. In short, an ice age.\n\nHowever, ice cores are showing that global warming isn't as bad as we thought. the ice cores show that the average global temperature 100,000 years ago would go up and down by 10 degrees in a matter of decades. In comparison, our global warming is warming at a rate of 1 degree per century. Is global warming going to cause the next Ice Age? Or are threats empty? YOu decide.
1032968
Dr. Lindzen has said there were a wide variety of scientific views presented in the NAS report and "that the full report did, [express a wide variety of views] making clear that there is no consensus, unanimous or otherwise, about long-term climate trends and what causes them."  The same is true of the all of the U.N.'s International Panel on Climate Change's studies on which the notion of global warming is based.\n\nClaims that scientific opinion is nearly unanimous on the subject of global warming are wrong. The Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine received signatures from over 17,100 basic and applied American scientists, two-thirds with advanced degrees, to a document saying, "There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate."\n\n-----------------------\n\n"Contrary to the conventional wisdom and the predictions of computer models, the Earth's climate has not warmed appreciably in the past two decades, and probably not since about 1940. The evidence is overwhelming:\n\na) Satellite data show no appreciable warming of the global atmosphere since 1979. In fact, if one ignores the unusual El Nino year of 1998, one sees a cooling trend.\n\nb) Radiosonde data from balloons released regularly around the world confirm the satellite data in every respect. This fact has been confirmed in a recent report of the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences [1].\n\nc) The well-controlled and reliable thermometer record of surface temperatures for the continental United States shows no appreciable warming since about 1940. [See figure] The same is true for Western Europe. These results are in sharp contrast to the GLOBAL instrumental surface record, which shows substantial warming, mainly in NW Siberia and subpolar Alaska and Canada.\n\nd) But tree-ring records for Siberia and Alaska and published ice-core records that I have examined show NO warming since 1940. In fact, many show a cooling trend.\n\nConclusion: The post-1980 global warming trend from surface thermometers is not credible. The absence of such warming would do away with the widely touted "hockey stick" graph (with its "unusual" temperature rise in the past 100 years) [see figure]; it was shown here on May 17 as purported proof that the 20th century is the warmest in 1000 years." \n--Testimony of Prof. S. Fred Singer\nPresident, The Science & Environmental Policy Project\nbefore the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Climate Change
130620
here in san antonio we have had like one or two cold days this whole year.i know that in san antonio we have pretty warm weather anyway but when i was younger we used to have a ton of ice storms and at least one snow storm a year but now the temp rarely climb out of the 60s in the winter.right now the high is in the upper 70s and its feb.come on people lets get with it.global warming is not a theory it is observable fact
698388
The artic ice shelf IS melting .Not a myth .Polar bears ARE drowning .Artic communities have experienced increased flooding and evacs.Worst droughts out west since the thirties.There is abundant evidence of glaciers retreating.The science is out there and I will believe scientific evidence and experience  over people who want to bury their heads in the sand and stupidly do nothing any day of the week.Don't let yourself get conned by people who are in denial and have no proof of their own to contradict scientific evidence and eyewitness accounts .Global warming is no joke and we must do something to prevent it from getting worse now before it's too late.
1173864
No. There are plenty of other theories. The EPA can't and hasn't proven any of their theories. Even a Harvard scientist said that we may just be recovering from a mini Ice Age that caused famine for 400 years (Ireland's potato famine). Who am I supposed to believe? I am not scared, although I do believe it is a good time to start reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Who knows what the cause of "global warming" is? Oh well. Let's just reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There's nothing harmful in that.
1141352
It is a myth thought up by the tree huggers to get money from the federal government of the USA to do studies. they had to have a reason for the grants. Over all, although it seems warmer the earth has actually warmed only about 1 degree. It is warmer in cities because of the concrete and asphalt.\n\nThey have tried to blame the depletion on fluorocarbons, but that is a out  and out lie because Mt. Pinatubo (hope that is spelled close) has put out more fluorocarbons than all the air conditioners, aerosol cans and refrigerators have combined since before WWII.\n\nAlso H.A.A.R.P. is to blame for the changes in weather. If you don't know what that is...look it up and find out.\n\nReading some of the answers given no wonder the bad guys are winning...quit believing the garbage put out by the news media and learn for yourselves. I keep giving information and sites and yet you don't look at them or try to learn...no wonder this world is going the way it is...too many young people just parrot what they hear and never check out for themselves...get with it kids because you are fast loosing your country and world! Now read below!
716608
There is not a consistent policy about global warming because no country wants to limits it own industrial capabilities to prevent pollution. The US agreed to the Kyoto Accords but now finds ways to side-step their obligation. How can any group of countries punish the US? Too many factors such as the national economies of small countries depend on the US for trade to force Washington to comply. But one thing is certain and that is that there is no agreement as to global warming even amongst the scientific community. It is being used by politicians as a gimmick to sway opinions. Before Al Gore didn't much worry about global warming but found it useful to take votes from Republicans and so there was sudden attention.Are you certain that there is indeed global warming? I realize that people have been tugging at the issue for years, but there is no substantial proof that this warming effect is not a cyclical phenomena. We have no proof about the last 50,000 years from the estimated period of the Ice Age. Counting tree rings is hardly an answer and the oldest know trees are less than 3,000 years...perhaps this situation occurs every ten thousand years. Fossils date much further back and we know that some cataclysmic event, a massive volcano or perhaps even a meteorite created so much dust that the earth was blanketed and brought about the sudden extinction of the dinosaurs. That took place about 65,000,000 years ago...just days ago, Norwegian paleontologists announced the discovery of a dinosaur 'graveyard' with the fossils of ichthyosaurs and pleisosaurs (perhaps cousins of the Loch Ness Monster) on an Island about 800 miles from the North Pole. Because both types of dinosaurs were marine (living in salt water), we then can assume they died in the water...but the 'graveyard' is now situated on a hillside some distance from the sea, but also that the water level was much higher at that time...Global Warming? Island can rise and sink because of volcanic activity but the island shows no geological suggestion that that was so. Perhaps too, this is a natural event in that as the temperature increases, so does evaporation and thusly more rain, so could it be that it is a cleansing system to remove pollutants from the atmosphere? There are many far-fetched theories and one is from Australia where scientists claim that cows are a major source of pollution. Herbivores produce methane gas as they digest grasses, fodder and such, and with the vast number of cows and other herbivores, our atmosphere is contaminated. It makes little sense as in America were vast herds of bison, and the plains of Africa still have millions of grazing animals...both past and present. The die-off of marine organisms is often linked to man-made problems...oil spills, dredging, sewage and such...i.e. the Thames River of England was so polluted years ago that no fish could exist...the environmental agency cleaned it up by stopping sewage, etc and now 10 species of fish have returned. We build dams and prevent floods and deprive vital nutrients to the sea. In Asia, DDT was introduced to protect the crops and successfully killed many species of fish and birds (most potent when used with oil as the solvent). Few people understand that a tree does many things besides provide wood, it retains soil but also transpires a substantial amount of moisture into the air...and we cut down the forests. We cover vast areas with tarmac and concrete and deaden the soil. On my last visit to Mt. Kilimanjaro, I noticed the reduction of the ice caps and glaciers but I didn't come away with any firm conviction of a drastic change. In Tibet, I visited the glacial rivers but they seemed much unchanged, and the peak of Mt. Everest seems to have the same amount of snow and ice. The only tangible proof I have found is that some of the tropical marine life in the Sea of Cortez have move further north, but that could be explained by a shifting of currents, rather than an
435237
humans just hav only 500 yeras more bcaz the polarcaps r melting and it may caz a global warming and will distroy then whole human life..so human wont b ther 2 look like something after 1000 years...
514702
Yes, it is. I've seen pictures of the polar caps 10yrs.\nago & today. The ice caps are melting. This reduces the \nnumber of seals in that area. There for, there is less \nprey (food) for the polar bears. \nThe number of polar bears is in decline. This a serious \ntragedy that is occuring, but, you know our leaders - \nIf it doesn't make them money, they could care less.
1088549
I have been wondering if I would see a global warming question up here.  I thought for sure there would just be a bunch of answer blaming Bush for it.  I am glad to see it hasn't gone that way yet.\n\nThis whole global warming thing is a complete sham.  When I was in school they used to run stories on global cooling, we were all going to be under ice, because all the air pollution was going to block out the sun.  Now its global warming, just more nonsense.\n\nUnfortunately they don't teach you kids much in school nowadays.  The Earth goes through climate changes ALL THE TIME.  I know you have all heard of ice ages, probably only because of the cute little kids movie, but we have had them its really true.  It has also been really, really hot here.  We have been completely covered by ice, we have been without even ice at the poles.  The poles themselves actually flip from time to time.  One day the north pole will be the south pole, it has happened before and it will happen again.\n\nWe can't even come close to attempting to try to affect the climate.  And nothing we can do, can stop, or alter where the climate is going.  If it does in fact get warmer, we didn't do it, and we can't stop it.\n\nYou really need to understand what is behind things like this though, because it is truely unAmerican.   A large part of the world and more unfortunately a small but significant percentage of our own people, simply believe we do not deserve to be the world most powerful country.  And everything they can do, to level the playing field, they will do.  This is simply one of those devices.  There are plenty and there will be more.
296292
global warming is real. its extremey or may not be related toinitially global warming causes the polar caps to melong termea water to rise and become lower in saline concentrations.\nthe lower the salt content the less the currents of the ocean flow and the COLDER the winters get (warm water not moving away from the equator) \nin natural cycles the more extreeme cold kills off organisms initally resulting in HIGHER greenhouse gases, but longterm the "ice age" that follows will leave less life (and death) reducing the overall emissions. this also increases the amount of icebound water increasing the salinity in the oceans returning the currenty\n\nSo You decide on the cause but it is real and geologically recorded again and again.
251910
An increase in solar radiation due to slight variations in the Earth's orbit and orbital tilt.  These are regular variations and also coincide with greater and lesser ice ages depending on slight variations in solar output.  \n\nWhile "global warming" is an issue for sudden climate change, it probably had little influence on the most recent ice age.\n\nIn fact there have been many "mini" ice ages in recorded history, most notably around 1300 AD where really extreme cold conditions led to some very interesting technological developments such as the chimney.\n\nSee the link below.
806892
The 'debate' is in the media only.  The data only supports human-caused Global Warming.  It has nothing to do with political party IF you actually look at the data like a scientist.\n\nCO2 is 30% higher than it has been for 650,000 years. Methane is 130% greater. These are two of the main pollutants humans put into the atmosphere in excess, and they are two of the primary greenhouse gases.\n\nLook at the 'hockeystick', which shows a dramatic warming since 1950 after a fairly stable climate for 1000 years. In fact, the 10 hottest years in recorded history have all happened since 1990, with 2005 being the hottest, and 2006 is shaping up to maybe break that record.\n(see links below)\n\nHow's that for proof of man's fault in this? There is ample proof, any real scientist will tell you that.\n\nThere has NEVER been an article doubting man's influence on global warming published in a peer-reviewed journal. A recent study of almost 1000 proved that.\n\nYes, the earth naturally heats and cools, but the rate and amount we are warming now is unprecedented in the recent geologic past. We are doing this, and we must stop it. This is not some political statement or rhetoric. This is science trying to educate a crass, ignorant public of the damage they are doing. The magnitude of temperature increase ALREADY is about 10x that of the 'little ice age' of the middle ages, and rate and amount are only going up. \n\nJust to be clear, glacial and interglacial cycles are mainly controlled by astronomical fluctuations, but we have a detailed record of the last 7 cycles, and what the climate and CO2 is doing now is way different and extreme. The rate of increase is much higher than in the past AND the value itself is much higher.\n\nHI CO2: \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4467420.stm\nHOCKEY STICK: \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5109188.stm\nGeneral climate stuff: \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3897061.stm