Has Global Warming affected Atlanta? (how much, air quality, smog)

[cqholt]

The earth has natural cycles of warm and cold. Pumping tons of co2 doesn't help atmosphere and weather patterns, but the earth naturally cycles through warm and cold cycles.

[Rubi3]

The only thing global warming has done is bring honor to Al Gore. Honor he did not deserve, imo. A week or so ago, it was in the news that GW is becoming more and more doubtful.

[GeorgiatoChina]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

removed

Is there some climate change going on? Yes. This is part of the Earth's natural cycles. There has been climate change with period of warming and cooling for millions of years. Seeking to blame any current changes on man is a stretch. Correlation doesn't prove causation.

There has but not in such a short time in history. That's the issue.

[MathmanMathman]

As soon as the polar ice caps melt, and all the polar bears drown (that's ok, they're very dangerous anyway), Atlanta will have beachfront property and Atlanta's ultimate dream will be fulfilled.

I was hoping for some new real estate to be uncovered in Antartica but it'll probably be underwater.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by GeorgiatoChina

There has but not in such a short time in history. That's the issue.

We've only been measuring this stuff for about the last 150 years. The methods we have to look back farther (which show cyclical heating and cooling by the way), are only good for larger timespans. So frankly, we don't know if there has ever been short-term warming like this in the past.

[shivtim]

Try this report: http://ncadac.globalchange.gov/downl...-southeast.pdf

The report is on the Southeast, but I searched it for Atlanta. There was some information on drought, and then this:
"Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, and Tampa have already had increases in the number of days with temperatures exceeding 95ºF,
during which the number of deaths is above average."
So there's not necessarily much evidence in Atlanta, but then again Atlanta is a very small geographic area that has probably faced more environmental stress from things such as urban heat island, sprawl, run-off, etc than from climate change. But the Southeast as a whole has already seen a lot of changes that are directly attributable to human release of greenhouse gases.

As for proof humans are affecting climate:
10 Indicators of a Human Fingerprint on Climate Change
http://ncadac.globalchange.gov/downl...endix1-CAQ.pdf
I'd welcome anyone who has data to contradict these indicators. There are multiple lines of independent evidence that link human greenhouse gas emissions to directly observed increases in temperature and sea-level.

[gtcorndog]

Fake science propped up by biased researchers and manipulated data.

What the Global Warming Emails Reveal - WSJ.com

However, we do now have hundreds of emails that give every appearance of testifying to concerted and coordinated efforts by leading climatologists to fit the data to their conclusions while attempting to silence and discredit their critics. In the department of inconvenient truths, this one surely deserves a closer look by the media, the U.S. Congress and other investigative bodies.

Stagnating Temperatures: Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time-Out

Nature, Not Human Activity, Rules the Climate

[shivtim]

^Really? A news article about climate e-mails and a Heartland Institute propaganda piece?
I see you have no challenge to the peer-reviewed document I posted from people who have PhD's in the field.

And the whole e-mail "scandal" is ridiculous. The scientists were cleared of any and all wrong doing by multiple independent panels, including Penn State University, the Associated Press, and the governments of both the UK and USA.
PolitiFact | Inhofe claims that e-mails 'debunk' science behind climate change
FactCheck.org : “Climategate”
http://www.oig.doc.gov/Pages/Response-to-Sen.-James-Inhofe's-Request-to-OIG-to-Examine-Issues-Related-to-Internet-Posting-of-Email-Exchanges-Taken-from-.aspx
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34392959/n.../#.UTVeSjBY18E
Anyone who continues to point to the hacked e-mails as "evidence" that climate change isn't real is naive at best and a liar at worst.

If you are a climate change denier - step back and ask yourself: where are you getting your information from? Why do you doubt the scientists? Do you trust what some news pundit says more than you trust the literally thousands of scientists who study the issue and have all come to the conclusion that the climate is changing at an unprecedented rate due largely to human influence? If this is truly what you believe, then we are currently living in the greatest conspiracy and cover-up that has every existed. It extends throughout the government of most countries, through every single research university, and across the ranks of scientific organizations.

From 18 top scientific organizations:
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/20...ate_letter.pdf
"Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver."

From the US Government (over 300 authors from across NOAA, EPA, etc, and many Universities and corporations):
http://ncadac.globalchange.gov/downl...p1-execsum.pdf
"Climate change is already affecting the American people. Certain types of weather events have become more frequent and/or intense, including heat waves, heavy downpours, and, in some regions, floods and droughts. Sea level is rising, oceans are becoming more acidic, and glaciers and arctic sea ice are melting. These changes are part of the pattern of global climate change, which is primarily driven by human activity."

From a multi-government panel of scientists, representing the UN and the scientific arms of the governments of over 120 countries:
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-re...r4_syr_spm.pdf
"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level. Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations."

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

Stagnating Temperatures: Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time-Out

It would be useful if your own links didn't undermine your own point. You likely posted that article after just looking at the title, and thought it was some sort of "smoking gun" that the climate isn't changing. Direct quote from the article: "scientists agree that temperatures will continue to rise in the long term."

[GeorgiatoChina]

This is expected from the Georgia forum. Of course people here are going to listen to Eric Errison, Sean Hannity and the like that admit to hating academia and not agree with scientist.