Where the Debate on Global Warming Is and Isn’t

As the debate over global warming continues apace, it’s important to divide the issues between what is generally agreed upon, where the debate is really focused, and where it isn’t. Despite the nay saying about global warming, a nearly unanimous number of scientists agree that the Earth has gotten warmer since the decade of the 70’s. Statistics clearly show generally warmer temperatures accompanied by evidence backing those statistics. There are always dissenters, and this case is no different, but the debate isn’t here.

Where the debate lies, with justification, is in determining the cause of these rising temperatures. One camp insists that warming is a natural cycle which will eventually play itself out, while the opposing camp points the finger squarely at the greenhouse gases emitted by the burning of fossil fuel for its numerous uses. Below are the three primary data points that clearly show that warming is occurring, the fourth showing the possible cause of it all.

Anthony Ricigliano Global Surface Temperature - Since circa 1950, the Earth’s surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit with most of the increase coming in the twenty years.

Shrinking Arctic Sea Ice - The National Snow and Ice Data Center tracks the ebb and flow of the amount of Arctic sea ice with methods including satellite imaging. Their imaging technology shows that from the late 70’s to September of 2007, arctic sea ice declined by 32%. While September 2007 marked the lowest amount of Arctic sea ice on record, the area has witnessed higher levels of sea ice since that time. These levels, however, are still far below the numbers recorded in the late 70’s.

Rising Sea Levels

Ice melting from glaciers, sea ice from the Anthony Ricigliano North Pole, and massive ice shelves at the South Pole adds up to rising sea levels. Sea levels have been rising over the long term but have risen at an accelerated pace since 1993. The evidence standing behind this fact is a measurement of the rate of change from 1870 to the present day. From 1870 to 1992, sea levels raised an average of 1.7mm. Since 1993, that rate has almost doubled to 3.3mm

Carbon Dioxide Levels

While the first three data points can be classified as effects, this data point can be considered a cause. Carbon dioxide (CO2) occurs naturally in our atmosphere from a variety of sources. It also occurs as a result of the burning of fossil fuels. What statistics show is that for 400,000 years CO2 levels in the atmosphere stayed in a cyclical range? In 1950, CO2 levels broke out of that range on the upside and have never looked back.

Try as they might, scientists have been unable to link this jump in CO2 levels to either natural or manmade events. Waiting for verification could be costly but so would solutions based on the wrong premise. While the debate rages on, the clock continues to tick.