The impact on atmospheric water vapor is a prime example. As the earth's surface heats (particularly ocean surfaces), the 1990 IPCC models predicted higher concentrations of atmospheric water vapor due to surface water evaporation. Because water vapor is also a natural greenhouse gas (because it has the effect of deflecting infrared heat back to the earth's surface), higher concentrations of atmospheric water vapor have a compounding effect on rising surface temperatures. The IPCC's models predicted several such "positive feedbacks- from increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations, resulting in a predicted increase in global surface temperatures under the "business as usual- scenario of between 1 and 3.5 degrees C (1.8 to 6.3 degrees F) by 2065.
The IPCC issued its second report in 1995 and its third, and most recent report, in 2000. Both reports concluded that human activity was continuing to increase atmospheric CO2 concentrations and that global surface temperatures were escalating. Indeed, the 2000 IPCC report concluded that 1998 was the hottest year in recorded history. There was one significant change in the IPCC's 2000 climate predictions: it seems that an unwitting consequence of the world's largely successful efforts to reduce industrial smog has been to increase global surface temperatures (at least according to the IPCC climate models). Industrial smog, primarily sulfur dioxide, is actually a "negative feedback- - its aerosol particles reflect incoming sunlight. By reducing smog levels from previous estimates, the IPCC's 2000 report increased global warming projections under its "business as usual- scenario for the next 50 years to between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees C (2.5 to 10.4 degrees F). .
Not surprisingly, the IPCC's 1990 report and predictions set off a fierce debate within the scientific community, many of whom felt that political issues had caused the IPCC to reach conclusions that were not adequately supported by credible scientific data.
GLOBAL WARMING Introduction Global warming is a topic that is often talked about today. ... What is Global Warming? ... What Causes Global Warming? ... How do we stop Global Warming? ... Global Warming is one of those little tilts. ...
Global Warming The media has been alerting the general public for numerous years on the perception of global warming and the harm it is causing. ... What scientists detect as global warming may really be a natural occurrence in nature. ... The vast majority of people get their information on global warming from the news media. ... Advocates of global warming point to the 1940's and 1950's as the time period that CO2 levels began to trigger global warming (Carlisle). ... Global warming proponents are seemingly oblivious to the fact that global fluctuations in temperature, charac...
The three main reasons people don't understand global warming are just not understanding the definitions of global warming and the greenhouse affect, how global warming affects them, and the cover up the government uses to convince them. ... According to the EPA's web site on global warming, "Global Warming is described as the progressive gradual rise of the earth's surface temperature thought to be caused by the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns- (EPA Global Warming Site). ... What if we take the overall temperature rise as a test of g...
There are many misconceptions about global warming. ... Some believe that global warming means that it will become warmer all over. ... Global warming is a danger to a human's health. ... Plagues have been attributed to global warming. ... Global warming can affect our future ability to obtain food. ...
None of these issues quite compare to the problem of global warming. ... What exactly is global warming? ... The greenhouse effect plays an important role in the issue of global warming, but it is not the reason behind why global warming is occurring. ... Because global warming is a global issue it will effect more than just human beings. ... While global warming is hurting our plants and also our sea life global warming takes a large toll on our weather because of the warmer weather most natural disaster are caused by warm weather... ...
The Effects of Global Warming Global Warming will perhaps be, in theory, one of the greatest threats to test the capabilities of mankind. ... So what is Global Warming? ... Scientists are also certain that global warming will cause sea levels to rise. ... A major concern is how global warming will affect agriculture. ... Global warming may also increase the risk of some infectious diseases, particularly those diseases that only appear in warm areas. ...
The Effects of Global Warming Global Warming will perhaps be, in theory, one of the greatest threats to test the capabilities of mankind. ... So what is Global Warming? ... Scientists are also certain that global warming will cause sea levels to rise. ... A major concern is how global warming will affect agriculture. ... Global warming may also increase the risk of some infectious diseases, particularly those diseases that only appear in warm areas. ...
Global Warming Climate change is a part of the Earth's history. Global warming is a theory that has been associated with a rise in the global average temperature. ... Scientists argue over the global warming theory. ... (Parsons 5) There are many causes behind global warming. ... Global warming is also in part caused by human activity. ...
Global Warming Climate Changes Int"l Global Warming is shorthand for the climate changes that may result from excessive heat being trapped in the Earth's atmosphere by so called green house gases. ... Over more recent years humans have caused many changes to the Earth which is a major cause for global warming. ... Over the past few decades scientist have been reviewing the changing weather patters due to global warming. ... The issue of global warming is realized to be that of all of the states on Earth and is a huge global common situation. ... There is no immediate solution to ...
My Geography Essay on Global Warming Introduction In this essay I will be talking about the causes, effects and solutions of global warming. Global warming is caused when factories and cars burn fossil fuels and let off carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. ... Another threat linked to global warming is the destruction of the ozone layer. ... Causes Two of the main causes for global warming are cars and factories. ... Global Countries work together to try and crack global warming. ...
