1st Edition
by James G. Speight (Author)
For too many years climate change
(also referred to as global warming) has been assigned predominantly to
the emissions of carbon dioxide though the combustion of fossil fuels.
It must never be forgotten or ignored, however, that the Earth is
constantly changing since its formation and has gone through different
eras like glaciations, among others. These changes need thousands of
years to be made visible, and the current increase in the average
temperature of the Earth since the pre-industrial period is happening,
provided that the measurements of past climatic temperatures are
accurate and beyond reproach. Thus, the assessment that the warming
trend that has occurred over the past 100 years is very likely to have
some origins in natural events. The precise contributions of natural
effects and anthropogenic effects on the climate are not known, but it
is accurate to conclude that many factors continue to influence
climate. Whether or not human activities have become a dominant force
in the changing climate and are responsible for most of the warming
observed is still open to question.
When studying the climate
system of the Earth, an area of common confusion that relates to whether
climate scientists agree or disagree as to whether or not climate
change is happening, or if it is happening, whether or not humans are
the primary cause. There are a variety of reasons for this, but a
majority of scientists who study climate and publish in peer-reviewed
journals agree that human activity is causing the warming of the Earth.
The
purpose of this book is to weigh all of these various data points and,
in a scientific and unemotional way, arrive at likely conclusions
regarding global climate change. Whether human activity is the main
driver behind our current changes in climate, one thing is certain:
Climate change is happening, and we all need to make informed, rather
than emotional, decisions.
