The Global Warming Debate:
What Is the Primary Cause of Global
Warming?
Debate
Outcome: (as of July 24, 2001) |
| Human activity is
probably the primary cause of global warming. |
Cause |
Reasoning |
Human
Activity
- Proponents |
The global mean surface temperature has risen about .6º degree
Celsius over the 20th century. This rise in temperature corresponds directly with rising
levels of greenhouse gases, which corresponds directly with increasing fossil fuel use,
farming & ranching, and deforestation. |
Solar Activity
-Critics |
Solar
activity more closely coincides with temperature changes than do greenhouse gas increases/
decreases. |
Natural
Climate Cycle
-Critics |
The climate changes naturally over time. The warming we are now
experiencing is due to the fact that we are emerging from an ice age. |
Nothing
-Critics |
Cross sections of ancient trees show no evidence of warming over
the past century. Furthermore, recent satellite data (which are the most reliable source
of global temperatures) show no warming trend during the 1980s. |
Debate
Outcome: (as of July 24, 2001) |
| Human activity is
probably the primary cause of global warming. |
|
|
