Wikibooks: Climate Change/Causes

• Published in: Science
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic
• Online Access: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Climate_Change/Causes

wikipedia Attribution of recent climate change wikipedia Greenhouse gas Many believe that CO 2 and other greenhouse gases (chlorofluorocarbons methane sulfur hexafluoride) cause global warming. Observed trend in global mean surface temperature Observed radiative imbalance at top of atmosphere Rising atmospheric concentration of CO 2 Rising sea level due to thermal expansion of sea water. =Criticism= Some people for a variety of reasons claim to have found faults with the hypothesis that humans are affecting Earth s climate. While we strive to present any legitimate criticism of the scientific principles where they are presented this section includes some specific issues that are commonly cited as reasons that humans are not or could not change the climate. Lack of scientific consensus One of the most common arguments against human induced climate change is a supposed lack of scientific consensus. While there were many skeptical scientists in the past as the evidence has mounted (especially using satellite based data) even the most ardent skeptics have come to the determination that humans are changing the climate. One recent study found no instances in the peer reviewed literature of a study on climate change stating that global warming is either fictitious or purely natural . See also [[Solar radiation normally varies over time as the orbit of the earth changes due to gravitational inter action with the other planets and the sun. When the Earth s orbit gets more elliptical and most of the land mass is in a seasonal orbital position so it is receiving more direct radiant energy from the sun (or it is summer for most of the land mass when the orbit brings it nearest the sun) then an inter glacial period usually occurs. Those combining planetary science with geologic evidence have significant findings suggesting that our present inter glacial period may have not peaked. Some pointing to an inter glacial period about 400 000 years ago that had about 1/3 of the ice on the Antarctic gone when it peaked as having the ...