As the Earth at night shows (opposite), we Humans have made a dramatic impact on the earth's surface. Just to put some perspective on it, with fossil fuels (coal and oil).

About man made climate change

The term 'Greenhouse Effect' is commonly used to describe the increase in the Earth's average temperature that has been recorded over the past 100 years. However, without the 'natural greenhouse effect', life on Earth would be very different to that seen today. The 'natural greenhouse effect', the Earth receives for life sustaining warmth from the Sun.

"Tony Blair has previously described the threat of climate change as "so far-reaching in its impact and irreversible in its destructive power, that it alters radically human existence"

On its way to the Earth's surface most of the heat energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere, while a smaller proportion is reflected back into space.

The energy warms the Earth's surface, and as the temperature increases, the Earth radiates heat energy (infrared energy) back into the atmosphere. As this energy has a different wavelength to that coming from the sun, some is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere. There are four main naturally occurring gases that are responsible for the Greenhouse Effect; water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Once these gases absorb energy, the gas particles begin to vibrate and they radiate energy in all directions, including approximately 30% of it back towards Earth.

The other two important greenhouse gases are ozone and halocarbons.

As a result, the Earth's average surface temperature is kept at about 15C by the blanket of atmosphere that surrounds it. Without this, the temperature would be about minus -18C - too cold for life. The gases keep the Earth warm in a similar (but not identical) way as a greenhouse keeps plants warm.

Global Warming is causing Climate Change, still not convinced

The evidence for 'enhanced greenhouse effect feedback

During the past decade, scientists have learned much about the complex natural processes that influence climate variability and change, and our ability to model climate has increased significantly. We also have begun to better identify those parts of the climate system that are particularly important and not well understood and that therefore limit our ability to project the future evolution of Earth s climate. One of these critical areas is our understanding of the role of feedbacks in the climate system and their role in determining climate sensitivity.

Feedbacks are processes in the climate system that can either amplify or dampen the system s response to changed forcings. This study looks at what is known and not known about climate change feedbacks and seeks to identify the feedback processes most in need of improved understanding.

It identifies key observations needed to combat and iliminate climate feedbacks, and discusses ways to evaluate progress in understanding how our civilisation destroys our environment, whether locally or globally.

Global warming is already running away with itself !

Global warming is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that are emitted primarily by the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests. These gases remain in our atmosphere for decades or even centuries. With the clearing of the forests depleting the Oxygen (O2) production for the Earth, combined with ever increasing Carbon Dioxide (CO2)production by Fossil Fuel burning technologies of Man, the atmosphere has already changing. The O2 / CO2 balance has been reversed and continues.

The human impact equation, simple! but our goverment still can't understand it

Tarmac/Concrete is natures equivalent of desert. The planet's tree cover is what gave us our breathable oxygen rich atmosphere. Take away the planets tree cover and replace with tarmac/concrete + the fossil fuel burning, and you have no way of maintaining that Oxygen rich atmosphere. The problem really is that simple. The atmosphere's oxygen level has been depleting since mankind discovered Oil, but it is only recently the side effects are showing. We must reverse the effects NOW, by using the last of our oil reserves to develop energy and generate through sustainable ways, such as solar. It also seems obvious that poorer countrys who have the worlds rain forest, must be paid by the developed world to preserve and promote tree cover, as they are chopping them down at alarming rates to pay off debt's to the developed world.

New Scientist Magazine Editor Jeremy Webb says "The evidence is vast and the urgency of taking action becomes clearer with every new scientific study. Some of the most obvious signs are visible in the Arctic, where rising temperatures and melting ice are dramatically changing the region’s unique landscapes and wildlife—as well as people’s lives and livelihoods. Across the globe, other early warning signs include melting glaciers, shifting ranges of plants and animals, severe violent weather, flooding and the earlier onset of spring. This is if scientists predictions are on the conservative side. The Polar ice caps are melting at a faster and faster rate, and this is shutting down the 'Trans-Atlantic Conveyor' or Trade Winds, which is in danger of switching course, plummeting northern Europe and North America into an Ice Age. This is the reality of Global Warming and Climate Change."

The profound impact rising temperatures have had in the Arctic provides a window into a future we may all experience. With continued warming, we can expect more extreme heat and drought, rising sea levels, and higher-intensity tropical storms. At risk are our coastal property and resources, the livability of our cities in summer, and the productivity of our farms, forests, and fisheries.

We can’t avoid all the consequences of global warming, but not committing ourselves to action today might cause our children and grandchildren to inherit a lesser bio diverse and polluted earth.

Still don't think climate change is happening?

Scientists have decleared 1998 - 2005 as the warmest years on record in the Northern Hemisphere, and the second warmest globally, since reliable records began in 1860.

The researchers, from the UK Met Office and the University of East Anglia, say this is more evidence for the reality of human-induced global warming. Their data show that the average temperature during 2005 in the northern hemisphere is 0.65 Celsius above the average for 1961-1990, a conventional baseline against which scientists compare temperatures. The northern hemisphere is warming faster than the south, scientists believe, because a greater proportion of it is land, which responds faster to atmospheric conditions than ocean.

"The data also show that the sea surface temperature in the northernhemisphere Atlantic is the highest since 1880," said Dr David Viner from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia (UEA).

"It's scary to acknowledge global warming is happening at such a fast pace - not over a long time span, but within the couple of decades since I've grown up.

One thing is clear, nature is very brutal and unforgiving, so we can only expect, that whatever the final consequences of global warming, they will certainly be brutal and unforgiving towards mankind"

Stuart Lovett 2007