The american denial of global warming..., page 1
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Topic started on 8-2-2008 @ 03:08 PM by melatonin
Very interesting and salient talk by Naomi Oreskes - a historian of science, and author of the climate science consensus paper in Science.



She firstly focuses on the history of the science supporting global warming - it is well-established and based on 100 year old physics, it has only become more consolidated over time.

Then moves onto the organised industry funded efforts to spread FUD about this science, using the techniques initially developed by think-tanks to defend the SDI and tobacco companies.

As I said, very good talk. If you are interested in the basic history of the science, and its denial, well worth the hour. Much better than the Gorelax

Comments? Gripes?

Cheers.

[edit on 8-2-2008 by melatonin]


reply posted on 13-2-2008 @ 11:39 AM by melatonin
Originally posted by quintar
In school we were taught that CO2, carbon dioxide, is everywhere. We exhale it and plants use it to give off oxygen.

Is that theory still valid today? I don't know, because now I keep hearing that Carbon emissions are responsible for global warming.


Yup, the carbon cycle still exists. The biosphere emits and absorbs CO2. But this cycle is being impacted on by our emissions. Billions of tonnes of CO2 every year.

The biosphere can only absorb so much CO2. It is currently absorbing about 50% of our emissions, the rest leads to increasing concentrations in the atmosphere. As CO2 is a GHG, this leads to warming.

At some point, the biosphere will probably stop absorbing our emissions, and begin emitting what it has absorb.

What about the fact that the sun is more active now with lots of solar flares? If it is warming up, wouldn't that effect be felt here as well? I am sure it would.


Solar activity reached a peak about 50 years or so ago, and has possbily been falling for the last 20. Thus, solar cannot account for current warming. It probably did have some impact on warming in the earlier part of the 20th century.

OP, I haven't watched the video yet. These questions are just something that I need to understand before I watch any videos about the 'truth' about GW.

Thank you.


No problem.

The first part of the video actually answers some of the issues you appear to have about CO2-induced warming. It's from a more historical viewpoint, but it shows that the science underpinning these ideas are well-established.


reply posted on 13-2-2008 @ 07:55 PM by melatonin
Originally posted by traderonwallst
Prove without a doubt that global warming exists. That means showing data that completely eliminates every other potential cause. You have to eliminate volcanoes completely. Eliminate the sun completely. Elliminate naturally occuring weather events like el nino and la nina. completely.


OK, trader, the sun can be eliminated as it has been going nowhere for the last 50 years. It hit a peak about 1945, and never got past it again. Indeed, solar activity has been apparently falling. Volcanoes actually result in a period of cooling due to the sulphates they emit, so I'm not sure why that is relevant.

ENSO (which is El Nino and La Nina) just shifts energy around. They are very short term cycles involving the transfer of energy from the oceans. We have a warm El Nino, then a cool La Nina. That's not going to result in warming over multiple decades.

Only after you have completely p[roved global warming exists then you can attempt to prove that man is causing it.

By the way in order to prove global warming exists you have to show that temperatures will head in direction in perpetuity. Which means no cooling. Otherwise, heating and cooling means cycles. Which is of course is really what climate change is. heating and cooling....heating and cooling......heating and cooling.............


I'm sorry, trader. I'll be totally blunt here - you have no idea what you are talking about. I explained this in the other thread, and I won't do it again.

If you have something to say about the video, I'm interested, otherwise, just leave this stuff to the other thread.

Cheers.
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