Global Warming: A Combined Cause
...time, such as a year, decade, century, or more. Most scientists now agree that there has been a 1-1.7 degree Celsius temperature rise since 1850. What scientists do not agree on is whether it is caused by human actions by the increase of greenhouse gas emissions or if it is a natural cycle the earth is experiencing. Both sides of the argument have important information and valuable research. When I began my research, I was a very big believer that human actions were causing global warming exclusively. While looking at information presented from the other side of the argument, my view changed based on the research and facts of the natural cycle supporters. I feel that global warming is being caused by both the natural cycles of the Earth and the increased greenhouse gas emissions produced by human actions. No matter what the cause of global warming, we should be taking preventive actions to slow global warming down before serious problems arise.
A book by Fred Singer and Dennis Avery talks about the history of the natural cycles of the Earth. The book is discussed in an article by Charles Clover and describes previous cycles and how ice core studies, written and verbal history, and stalagmites all show proof of natural cycles roughly every 1,500 years or so. Avery was quoted saying, "If this were a CO2 (carbon dioxide) driven warming it should have started in 1940 and risen strongly from there. In fact warming started in 1850 and rose sharply until 1940 then decreased for 35 years." Avery also believes that only half of the warming since 1940, roughly .2 degrees Celsius, can be caused by greenhouse gas emissions and the rest is natural variability. In Charles Clover's article, Avery and Singer describe specific periods of warmer and cooler temperature changes.
"During the Roman warming period from 200 BC to around 600 AD, North Africa and the Sahara were wetter...
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