Timmah! said:
The fact is, global warming, as well as global cooling are BOTH natural phenomena. If you look at the geological record, earth's average temperature has NEVER been a flat line, but has fluctuated both up and down many, many times without our help. Because of this, it is impossible to know whether or not our actions are actually causing global warming, or even affecting it in any measurable way. The only way to scientifically prove that one factor CAUSES another for certain is to eliminate all other potential factors from the expiriment. This is impossible, as we cannot regulate water vapor levels, volcanoes, sunspot activity, cloud cover, solar winds, and the myriad of other natural causes for temperature fluctuations on this planet. For that reason, anybody who says that 'man made global warming is a fact' simply does not understand the scientific processes necessary to call something a fact. It is a theory, nothing more.
Because the computer climate models used to predict global warming really only focus on the human element (mostly from CO2), they have been proven very inaccurate many, many times. Just look at the original 'hockey stick' curve created in the 90's. Meteorologists can't even accurately predict the forecast more than five days in advance, so what arrogant scientist really thinks that they can predict the climate years into the future with any certainty?? Computer models are subject to the programmers & operators, a climatologist can spin the numbers, data & equations any way he/she likes in order to get the desired result.
Another issue is, we have only recently begun to collect accurate measurements from around the globe, and that capability is still very lacking (especially when you concider deep sea temperatures). How are we certain of the global temperatures from 100 years ago, let alone 1000 years ago when there was no reliable way to get global numbers at that time? The global temperatures scientists use from these periods are merely educated guesses.
My point is, there is simply not enough REAL understanding and data to draw such a certain conclusion as 'this is fact'. It is a theory that is still being tested, and we as a species should work to clean up our act REGARDLESS of whether man-made global warming is a reality. There is no need for panic, but calculated, intelligent, long term decisions that do not destroy world economies. Panic and fear NEVER lead to good decision making.
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