Global Warming--Man-caused or Natural Cycle?

by Michael Sothras
(San Diego, CA)

Global warming is demonstrably true; however, while man's activities undoubtedly contribute to it, just how much is debatable.

The rise in CO2 in some studies indicate that it is a lagging, rather than leading, indicator, meaning that rising temperature may drive increases in atmospheric CO2 instead of the reverse.

Getting Hot

Astronomers have detected rising temperatures on all of the terrestrial planets in our solar system, not just the Earth. As far as I know, there are no SUV's or fossil fuel plants on Mars.

It seems plausible that increased energy output from the sun may be warming our oceans and releasing CO2 and methane - a greenhouse gas 21 times more efficient than CO2 at trapping heat energy into the atmosphere. As the temperature of water increases, its ability to retain dissolved gases in solution diminishes.

Perhaps a large segment of the scientific community have the etiology study of causation of global warming backwards...might be worth further investigation.

Barry's Response - Thank you, Michael, for this food for thought. Perhaps you have heard of the 2007 British Documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle where these and other ideas are pursued as possible alternative explanations for the climate changes which have been both anticipated and detected.

I discuss it as part of the whole subject of controversial opinions and research over the subject of climate change; at that time the main issue of concern was global warming and has since expanded to include related issues. Check my webpage at:
https://www.stuffintheair.com/cause-of-global-warming.html for an example of this discussion.

Also, see the video on YouTube at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Mx0_8YEtg&feature=player_detailpage - It's an hour and 15 minutes long.

Asking the Right Questions

That's what science should be about. If we're going to make decisions about energy, economy, and policy, we'd better get the story right.

Human emissions cause most of the climate change. What if the climate changes for reasons we can't control? Think about this:

• CO2 increases follow temperature rises, not the other way around, according to many peer-reviewed studies. Oceans release CO2 when they warm. Does rising temperature drive CO2 levels, or does CO2 drive temperature?
• Climate change on other planets - Scientists have observed warming on Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto-where there are no coal plants or SUVs. Are solar emissions more responsible than human ones? Earth's temperature has historically shifted during cycles like the Maunder Minimum and the Modern Solar Maximum.
• CO2 is only a small fraction of greenhouse gases, despite all the blame. Water vapor traps most of the heat. And the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) downplays it.
• Why do climate models keep over-predicting warming if they're accurate? In the 1970s, an ice age was predicted. In the 2000s, there was an impending climate catastrophe. Real-world data shows temperatures aren't rising as fast as predicted. Maybe models are built with alarmist assumptions?
• Government funding rewards alarmist climate science conclusions. Are you more likely to get a grant if you say, "Everything is fine" or "We're facing a crisis!" You'll see why climate hysteria is so lucrative.
• We should be responsible stewards of the earth. Stewardship doesn't mean spending trillions on unreliable wind turbines and taxing people into poverty. Utilizing energy wisely, balancing environmental concerns with human flourishing, and questioning politically motivated narratives.

Michael, you're right. This story has more to it. When we stop questioning, science stops being science. Never let anyone tell you the science is settled. Keep digging, keep asking.

There's a documentary called The Great Global Warming Swindle that challenges the mainstream narrative on global warming. You might rethink everything you've learned.

Don't stop being curious.

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