Environmental Issues

Opposing views about global warming

Global warming is the rise in earths surface temperatures. This rise in temperatures is linked to the increased concentrations of green house gases brought about by human activities such as burning of fossil fuel together with cutting down trees. An increase in temperature will have an effect on the level of sea altering the quantity and pattern of rainfall. It may also lead to spread of deserts and changes in weather conditions which will affect agricultural yield and also different species of animals which could be faced with danger of being extinct.

Although global warming has been greatly blamed on human activities, other scientists do not believe that its the case. They believe that global warming is not occurring and that the change in temperatures is a cycle. Satellite data indicates that there was a rise in the worlds temperature between 1680 and 1940 but it started cooling since that time until 1980 (Weart,2003). The situation reversed in the 1990s in which temperatures again started rising leading to the current global warming. Controversy arises on the cause of these climatic changes in temperature although to some, they view it as a cycle that is being repeated with trends indicating a possible cooling in the global temperature (Allen, Seaman  Delascio, 2009).

Accuracy of IPCC (international panel on climate change) climate projections
According to Paterson (1996), IPCC projected that there has been a rise in surface temperature by an average of 0.6oc since the start of 19th century and that an increase of 0.17 is expected per decade for the coming 30 years. It also indicated that most of the global warming that has been experienced for the last 50 years can be linked to human activities. These activities include greenhouse gas emissions, methane and also carbon dioxide emission. According to their report, it indicates that temperature increases will continue if greenhouse gas emission is not stopped (Bertagna, 2006).

The temperature rise is estimated to have increased by between 1.4o C and 5.8oC as from 1900 to 2010. This temperature increases have also brought about extreme weather conditions and increases in sea levels by 9 to 88 centimeters. Other scientists feel that it is unlikely for IPCC to accurately project changes that are expected to occur in the coming century. Richard Lindzen an atmospheric science professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology agrees that the global temperature has risen by 0.5oC than what it was in the last century. He also acknowledges that there has been an increase in the levels of CO2 in the two centuries that have passed. He also appreciates that CO2 is a greenhouse gas whose increase could definitely bring about global warming. But he goes ahead to disagree with the IPCC findings because the team cannot confidently prove that past climatic changes were as a result of CO2 increases and they cannot base their future expectations of climatic changes on the CO2 levels (Johansen, 2002).

Garth Paltridge, a retired research scientist believes that burning of fossil fuel has a consequence of increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere but he is not certain that that could lead to significant increase in carbon dioxide levels. Antonino Zichichi a professor of nuclear physics argues that the models that were used by the IPCC are not coherent and cannot be valid scientifically. This is because its not possible to rule out that the phenomenon observed could not have resulted from natural causes and that human beings could be having nothing to do with them.

Global warming a natural process.    
Some scientists argue that global warming cannot be attributed to human activities such as emission of greenhouse gases. It occurs as a result of high and lengthy levels of radiations produced from the sun which heat greenhouse gases making them lighter due to expansion (Bertagna, 2006).

Because of this, they rise to the atmosphere but end up releasing the absorbed heat away bringing about the greenhouse effect. Ian clerk, a professor in the department of earth science thinks that a section of scientist who link global warming to carbon dioxide base their argument on the assumption that an increase in the atmospheric CO2 activates accumulation of large amounts of moisture in the atmosphere which in return bring about warmth. CO2 is a minor greenhouse gas and it cannot be expected to bring about large changes as suggested (Schroeder, 2009). Again, the mechanism has never been scientifically tested hence they rely on the mathematical that foresee a wide warming. This model can be challenged by the density of crowd formation that brings about a cooling effect (Allen, Seaman  Delascio, 2009).

The fact that there is evidence that there is global warming, it does not make it automatic that it is as a result of carbon dioxide. Because there are natural causes that cause global warming, to indicate carbon dioxide to be the cause of global warming, you need to come up with evidence that will help differentiate between warming due to human causes and the one that result from natural causes something which has not yet been done. Contribution by human beings to global warming can be perceived to be negligible because when doing comparison between trends in temperature of the atmosphere and the surface temperature, it does not bring out the characteristic fingerprint which is linked to greenhouse effect. Therefore, increases in CO2 and other greenhouse gases could be perceived to be having a little impact on the global warming (Uzawa, 2003).

According to William Gray, a professor in the department of atmospheric science in Colorado state university, global warming can also be attributed to alterations in global ocean currents, a phenomenon brought about by variations in ocean salinity. Because variations in global temperatures in the past could not or were not attributed to CO2, recent changes cannot so much be attributed to the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere (Dolan, 2006).

The atmosphere is said to have remained in the same state it was in 280 million years ago. It is also reported that cycles of temperature changes have existed long before the human activities that they are claiming to have brought carbon happened. A good example is the Cretaceous period that was recorded in history to have been the warmest. About 450 million years ago, its recorded that there were more carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere than they are currently. During that period, the planet went through the coldest period. Based on the evidence, one cannot conclude that the small increases in the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere could be as a result of CO2 levels.
The cause of global warming is unknown.

According to Johansen (2002), it is not possible to point out any major cause of the current global warming the way IPCC did. Their conclusion is perceived to be flawed without basis. This is because they did not find evidence to prove that the present warming is a result of increased levels of carbon dioxide. Different factors that contribute to green house effect such as natural causes should also have been taken into consideration before drawing their conclusion that implicates human activities as major contributors to global warming (Mendelsohn, 1999).

There are other parameters that are perceived to have more effect than that of carbon dioxide. Effects such as water cycles, different types of cloud formation and also the effect of industrial and agricultural dust have much greater effect. Greenhouse effect that has taken place for the last 150 years has been poorly controlled as a result there is no clear distinction between natural or human causes. There is no sufficient basis that can be used to foresee climatic changes that are likely to occur in future and the extent they are likely to affect the globe (Michaels, 2004).

Global warming and its significance
 Even if global warming may take place in future, its effects are not likely to be as harmful as predicted. This is because of the benefits that it is likely to have on global plant productivity. They include a boost in food, fiber and also timber production. This will ensure constant supply of food, shelter together with clothing. Warmth has been found to have a positive impact on health while carbon dioxide is used with plants for synthesis of food with an overall effect on the crop yields (Cline, 1992).

The causes of global warming have not been well understood despite the numerous reports indicating carbon dioxide to be the major source. In trying to find the cause, its important that both human and natural factors be put into consideration before a conclusion is reached. Scientific evidence should also be provided that should be able to stand numerous tests. Because of this, one cannot conclude that its human activities that have led to global warming as there is no substantial evidence to prove this. Positive aspects of global warming should also be spoken out to avoid biasness.