Yet another study has been cited as "proof" of global warming. The report, "Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere", appears to have pushed weather stats from the last 50 years around, until it came up with the conclusion it wanted. Which was that yes, of course there has been a significant rise in temperature. Never mind that the data is so shaky that even scientists involved in the study complained about it. Indeed, the main point of the study seems to really be that we need better measurements of the atmosphere. Weather balloons and satellites are subject to all sorts of error, which reduce the quality of data. Global warming was just tossed in to raise the paper's profile.
What this study really shows, I think, has nothing to do with global warming. All these researchers are focusing on minutiae to provide the Answer to global warming, which at this point is more a matter of faith than science. In the process, everything else gets overlooked. Urban sprawl isn't as important as global warming. Pollution isn't as important as global warming. Deforestation--which you'd think would get more attention, seeing what role forests play in the carbon cycle--is a lamentable process, definitely. But it's so important to the political and economic world to go along with global warming hype, that all we focus on are carbon emissions. Everything else takes second place.
And in the end, maybe they'll prove global warming. Sure. But what's the cost of that definitive proof? What is it good for? We already know we have problems. We already know what we ought to be doing. But instead, everyone waits for the scientists to duke it out, and justifies it as science.
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finally, a blog about something other than the typical i hate this i hate that jargon.
There is a tragic amount of disinformation abut global warming.
The worst thing is that the culture has integrated the absolute worst of it and accepted as gospel. Why is it hot today? global warming. total ridiculous illogic.
Even more, it's part of the anti-man stance: that mother nature is perfect, that humans are parasites on ants and dogs, that humans dare have the arrogance and ridiculous hubris to think of disturbing the universe, and that they deserve to be struck down by God, and that means the government.
Michael Allen Yarbrough
Global warming is definately happening, but the rate of that warming and the consequences are still poorly understood. Unfortunately, one of the least understood aspects is methane hydrate in permafrost and under the ocean. There is an estimated 400 billion tons of methane contained in permafrost ice-50% of the surface permafrost is expected to melt by 2050, and 90% by 2100. Methane is over 20 times as powerful a greenhouse gas as CO2, and a sudden release of 35 billion tons would be the equivilent of doubling the CO2 in the atmosphere. There is an estimated 10,000 billion tons of methane contained in the continental margin of the oceans, and those deposits are vulnerable to rises to slight rises in temperature. If the earth was to start emitting methane, a positive feedback loop would ensue, where it would lead to more rapid warming, and more methane releases. This runaway global warming has happened in the past, leading to catastrophic temperature rises. The only difference is that mankind is causing this chain reaction to occur faster-and the runaway global warming's severity is strongly affected by the rate of emissions. I agree with Dr Lovelock who predicts an 8C in the temperate regions by the end of the century-that would be enought to kill most people on earth. Most climate models do not include melting methane hydrate because so little is certain, so it is difficult to mathematically model.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
I believe we are already noticing the changes in the environment and it is vital that we take action on our own case to reduce the energy consumption. Try walking for one day instead of driving, or use biofuel instead of contributing to the carbon dioxide emissions. The solution is simple and all it takes is a change in the way us humans consume. Even taking the city bus or subway can dramatically reduce global warming. Think about it the more people use public transportation the more advanced it will become and it will attract the idea of public transportation everywhere. We need to come out of our comfort zone and face reality; global warming is real!