Climate Change: Human Causes and Responses

Ralph Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the National Research Council. His research in atmospheric chemistry and climate change has involved him in shaping science and environmental policy at the highest levels nationally and internationally. Series: "The UC Davis Chancellor's Colloquium Series" [3/2012] [Education] [Show ID: 22899]

[babyfran]

@murderface74 Thank you! Finally someone is schooled well enough in geophysical fluid dynamics, to offer a concise critique of the entire scientific community's consensus on this issue. Smart stuff.

[barryfinch]

27:00 Dr. Cicerone makes a crucial phrasing mistake, the climate scientists in general do this. He says the northern hemisphere is warming up faster than the southern hemisphere. I do not think so. It is only surface temperature that is going up faster in the northern hemisphere but warming is not surface temperature, it is heat increase to the depth that scientists have determined is involved. Water flows much faster than land so it mixes heat down much faster, but it is the same warming.

[Aanthanur]

ah the old CO2 lag halftruth. yes in past deglaciation the Co2 laged some 800 years behind the temperatures. so what? what is your point. past deglaciations were initiated by orbital forcing, wich led to higher CO2 levels, this higher CO2 levels amplified the increased warming do to orbital forcing.
the current warming is different, orbital forcing go towrds colder, but the increased CO2 levels do to us, gives us a warming.

[henrikthedj]

I've been obsessed with the climate change debate for some months now, and I'm really trying to find out what the "deniers" motives are. Does anybody have a quick answer?

The whole denial business seems to me to be mostly a U.S. issue. Over here in Europe the science is largely accepted and the E.U. is slowly starting to move in the right direction, but it's all for nothing if the U.S. and China don't join us in a massive global effort...

There are plenty of solutions but we have to act now...

[lpiavelino]

if he is really concerned about the wellbeing of future children, why is he not concerned about those poor children living in squallor around the world right now?

[murderface]

Ok, I should do more research. However, Im not ruling out technology being with held from the public that can manipulate weather.

[EJNewbury]

It does, Cincofone. Life would have never started on Earth if CO2 in the atmosphere didn't raise the temperature in order to get life going.

Now, all that aside, I could draw on a board for you why the molecule CO2 absorbs and reflects CO2, but, obviously, there's restrictions here. It has to do with molecules vibrate and what energies they're able to absorb based on there geometric structures.

End conclusions is that CO2 does reflect infra-red radiation which has warmed the Earth.

[deprogramr]

@murderface74 You need to fight science with science, not insults. People just need to keep doing GOOD science around ALL of the factors of our environment, happiness, and sustainability, and technology. There's lots of propaganda out there, just listen to the science. If you don't trust it, do your own to debunk it.

[jacopman]

and if you are some research on ocean acidity and the loss of algea find out how that translates to breathable

[barryfinch]

53:10 I have an idea that doesn`t pollute like dumping stuff in air & oceans, but might be a bit expensive. Install heat pumps at oceans` edge and run water pipes under all that asphalt we`ve laid. Cool the oceans & get that asphalt really hot. Stop global warming by heating the surface like crazy. Use solar for heat pumps if you`re trying to cut down on coal a bit. 1st upgrade: run the pumps only at night for the asphalt radiators to get most bang for buck. I`m calling this futuristic system...

[cincofone]

I know about CO2 absorbing and releasing energy - many molecules do that, and many to a much greater extent. It will have a warming effect, no one denies that, the question is how much?

CO2 is necessary for life yes (as a source of carbon for plants), but it's never driven our climate - that's my point. CO2 has been >20% of the atmosphere before and the temperature wasn't drastically different to what it is now with CO2 at <0.04%. It follows the temperature, it doesn't lead it.

[babyfran]

@Dubwise78 I spoke too soon. pls stop the spam. If you have your own point to make, you have 500 characters to make it.

[jacopman]

Neither would I so I agree with you on but I wouldn't be surprised if taht technology resides in the hands of the military for

[chastityjc]

one effort is to legalize hemp for a renewable resource for paper.
and yes we must act now, stopping deforestation is the cheapest first order all our "civilized" society's can do to stop our pittiful part in the extinction of Earth and so mankind
j

[barryfinch]

I agree with murderface74 that carbon foot prints are a joke. Specifically, they are this joke. When I rode with a geezer road group in Toronto, Bois was a lawyer, so wealthy, and in my sportif group but 6`4`` and 165 lbs in spring trimming to a svelte 135 lbs in autumn. Now he says he bought the top carbon road shoes, Should be ashamed, ecologically-speaking, by his humongous carbon footprint.

[bonnevie]

@deprogramr He couldn't do his own to debunk anything . he does not understand science. He is just repeating what he is told

[skisheavenly]

I am beginning to hate Thomas Peterffy

[TheGodlessGuitarist]

"The science behind Global Warming is a fraud"

Really? Which climate science papers have you read?

[murderface]

@bonnevie9 all I hear is hot baseless air from you.