NounPlural uncountable
AntonymsDerived termsFrom Wiktionary under the GNU Free Documentation License. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. According to the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th century. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century was caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which results from human activity such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Global dimming, a result of increasing concentrations of atmospheric aerosols that block sunlight from reaching the surface, has partially countered the effects of greenhouse gas induced warming. Climate model projections summarized in the latest IPCC report indicate that the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) during the 21st century. The uncertainty in this estimate arises from the use of models with differing sensitivity to greenhouse gas concentrations and the use of differing estimates of future greenhouse gas emissions. An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, probably including expansion of subtropical deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects include changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, species extinctions, and changes in agricultural yields. Warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe, though the nature of these regional variations is uncertain. Another major worldwide concomitant of global warming, and one which is presently happening as well as being predicted to continue, is ocean acidification, which is likewise a result of contemporary increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. The scientific consensus is that anthropogenic global warming is occurring. Nevertheless, political and public debate continues. The Kyoto Protocol is aimed at stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration to prevent a "dangerous anthropogenic interference". As of November 2009, 187 states have signed and ratified the protocol. From Wikipedia under the
GNU Free Documentation License What else will global warming cause in the next few months? Q. Jello has a point that things tend to get attributed to global warming after they happen. A few years back there was flooding in California and it was attributed to global warming and there were warnings that it was likely to get worse. Now there is a drought in California and it's attributed to global warming and it's likely to get worse. And I read that there is flooding and forest fires in different parts of Australia and they are both due to global warming... Looking to the *future* what can we expect from global warming and where in the next few months? "More extreme weather" is a bit broad. What more specific predictions are on offer? Asked by Aaron W - Mon Feb 9 10:39:26 2009 - - 8 Answers - 0 Comments A. The problem of attribution comes from to much specialization in the fields of science and because of this there are way to few interdisciplinary generalists to spot where things are getting off on a track leading to false disasters. AGW is as a concept brought about by intense specialization by the members of a new discipline who have deliberately separated themselves from the 5 or 6 convergent disciplines that need to be factored in to moderate their conclusions. This is why they are reaching some of the ridicules conclusions based on poorly understood data, they have no functional access to relevant historical data and results that would allow more sensible and less frightening conclusions to be drawn from their data. Instead they are… [cont.] Answered by James E - Mon Feb 9 11:10:02 2009 How does global warming actually work? Q. As debates about whether or not global warming is actually happening I figure this is the best time to actually figure what global warming is and hopefully get some of my questions answered. I already know by the term alone that global warming is the earth warming. I guess my main question is about the CO2 gas. Does the CO2 gas trap the heat so it can't escape the earth's atmosphere and that is how the earth is warming? If this is happening wouldn't the CO2 make it so the sun's heat doesn't get past the atmosphere in the first place making the earth not heat? Asked by Matt - Sat Dec 12 10:15:05 2009 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments A. Most of the Sun's energy comes to Earth in the form of visible light, what climatologists call shortwave radiation. That warms the Earth, and in order to be in equilibrium, Earth must emit as much energy as it receives. But the Earth is a whole lot cooler than the Sun, so when Earth emits radiation, it emits in the infrared part of the spectrum, what climatologists call longwave radiation. CO2 and other greenhouse gases are transparent to visible light, but absorb in the infrared. So they let the sunlight in, but don't let Earth's balancing radiation back out again. When they absorb infrared, they heat up. That keeps the lower atmosphere warm, which warms the surface. Answered by Keith P - Sat Dec 12 10:30:25 2009 How does Plate Tectonics contribute to Global Warming?
Q. Can someone please help me research/understand how continental drift can contribute to global warming? I m looking for NATURAL causes of global warming that are relative to plate tectonics. Can sea floor spreading contribute? Can the change in ocean currents from the movement of continents contribute to global warming? Can mountain ranges created from continental drift contribute in anyway to global warming? Asked by amour2vivant - Wed Apr 2 22:05:13 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments A. Plate Tectonics does have a major effect on climate. Plate Tectonics is responsible for volcanic eruptions which can impact the enviroment with the gases they release. Also formation of mountains can cause a rain shadow effect meaning that one side gets most of the precip. but the other side barely anything. Position of continents can effect the flow of ocean currents which can also effect climate. An extreme example of this effect occured 700 million years ago when the landmass Rodinia straddled the equator, thereby preventing water from being warmed up and flowing to the poles circulating the heat. This caused the planet to literally freeze. Answered by 22 - Wed Apr 2 22:40:03 2008 From Yahoo Answer Search: "global warming"  thesop.org Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:27:59 GMT+00:00 ? Student Operated Press China is expected to have more people displaced than any other country with coastline, including Bangladesh, due to global warming . ...  news.softpedia.com Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:30:21 GMT+00:00 Melts Off Lizards Softpedia The numbers are worrying as 12 percent of Mexican lizards have gone extinct from global warming since 1975, 4 percent have disappeared worldwide and before ...  sandiegonewsroom.com Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:32:54 GMT+00:00 and unemployment showdown San Diego News Room Proposition 23, the measure to suspend implementation of California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), is perhaps the most ... From Google News Search: "global warming"  theallseeingeye.us 341px x 640px | 161.50kB [source page] Photographic Proof of Global Warming  greenlifestylemagazine.net 480px x 400px | 36.50kB [source page] But you humans do not You move to an area and multiply and multiply until every natural resource is From Yahoo Image Search: "global warming"  minnesotansforglobalwarming.com Elmer Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:16:03 GM Al and Tipper Gore get divocred separatrd Split Top Ten List; . Global Warming. - The Other Side; . Global Warming. CO2; . Global Warming. State Of The Union Obama; green police fascism Audi 2010 Green Car Super Bowl Commercial ... From Google Blog Search: "global warming" ContentsFor
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