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
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.