Climate models are computer simulations of the natural world. Scientists involved in creating these simulations believe that mathematical descriptions of the natural processes involved in climate can aid in the understanding of how global warming will develop in the future. However, attempts to simulate the climate in the past have produced significantly divergent results, which… Read More »Climate Modelling
Feedbacks are processes that are themselves consequences of global warming, but which in turn influence the planet’s temperature. They are either positive feedbacks, which means they contribute more warming, or they are negative feedbacks, meaning that they cause cooling. Though this highly uncertain area of science is rarely discussed, it is one of the main… Read More »Climate Feedbacks
Global temperature is usually depicted as an anomaly — the difference between the temperature at any point in time and a baseline temperature, which is the average temperature of the world across a period of time. The temperature at any one time is calculated by processing all of the available weather data for that time,… Read More »Global Temperature
Greenhouse gases are gases whose properties are said to be ‘heat-trapping’ — they absorb infrared energy and re-emit it, scattering it and thereby keeping it in the atmosphere rather than allowing its passage out to space. This heat-trapping phenomenon can be demonstrated in a laboratory, and is the most basic scientific premise of the climate… Read More »Greenhouse Gases
CO2 emissions are caused by the burning of any hydrocarbon fuel, from wood, through to coal oil and gas. The elimination of combustion of fossil fuels is the primary aim of both national and global policy. The mainstream belief is that manmade (anthropogenic) CO2 emissions explain the build of the gas in the atmosphere. However,… Read More »CO2 Emissions
Computer modelling, or simulation, is one of the most controversial aspects of the global warming and climate change debate. Models are used to estimate the effect of CO2 on the atmosphere, and the first and further-order effects of global warming. Some scientists even believe that modelling can predict how things like crime and conflict will… Read More »Modelling & Simulation
Articles in this category examine the basic science and statistics of global warming. Note that though the terms ‘global warming’ and ‘climate change’ are often used interchangeably, this site treats them as distinct categories. Articles here are about only the phenomena that contribute to global warming, including human influences.
On this site, we refer to the claimed direct effects of global warming as climate change. Articles in this category examine the arguments and evidence that the planet is changing in response to global warming. All of our articles about the subject of climate change effects are listed below.
Climate impacts are the effects of climate change and are distinct from, but caused by, climate changes. For example, environmentalists and some scientists claim that changes in the climate such as a heatwaves or more violent storms, have consequences for the functioning of ecosystems and the survival of species.
Environmentalists claim that we are facing a ‘climate crisis’ or ‘climate emergency’, which is leading to a catastrophic breakdown of society. In this category, we consider the claims about climate impacts’ effects on society.