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Definition Of Global Warming?
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If you look up a definition of global warming (in English) on the Web, you will find hundreds upon hundreds of different ones!
Go ahead. Do not be afraid to check for yourself. Do a search on any (or all) major search engines using the keywords "definition global warming".
See what I mean!
A Basic Definition
Basically, global warming is:
"an overall increase in the temperature of the earth's atmosphere".
I did not include the qualifier "significant" to the word increase, because that is open to debate within the scientific community.
Most sources will imply, or state in a given context, that:
- Global warming has been observed.
- That it has increased over the past decades.
- And that it is expected to continue increasing.
The Problem
The problem with the many definitions you will find on the Web is (at least) two fold, thus maintaining a permanent state of confusion, both within the public (through the media) and within governments.
One problem stems from the fact that 99% of the definitions you will find on the Web include, as part of the definition, ...
- one or more causes and/or
- one or more effects.
The other source of problem is that the world's scientific community does not agree on
- the existence of a global warming,
- what could cause a global warming,
- what effects a global warming would have.
Unavoidable Choice
I even read, in more than one official governmental publication, that global warming could mean warmer in some parts of the globe, while other parts are colder than usual!
Granted, but for how long? The dynamics of the atmosphere would not let any given region of the globe stubbornly remain cooler than the rest for very long ... certainly not decades!
In my humble opinion, we either have "global" warming or "regional" warming. Not global warming measurable (detectable) only in some regions, nor regional warming extrapolated to the entire globe (as local evidence of a global warming)!
Regional warming would have regional causes with, perhaps, side effects being felt beyond its regional origin.
Global warming (by definition) would have global causes (common to every part of the globe), and global effects (with more or less impact on regional climates and the environments).
The definition of global warming comes in many flavors. It is a reflection of human nature at its best ... or worse, depending on your point of view.
Facts About Global Warming
Is there, or is there not, a global warming, as I defined it above?
In an effort to help clarify the issue, I started by looking at the observed data, rather than looking at the interpreted versions.
To that end, I recently undertook two studies using official Canadian meteorological observed data. I published the results here, on my Web site. (For more on data availability, see here).
- A study using observed surface temperature data.
- A study using soundings of the atmosphere, from the ground to the stratosphere.
I found that the atmosphere over Canada has been cooling slightly since the early sixties! Could this mean that, during all these years, Canada has been an exceptionally cool region of a warmer global atmosphere?
Does this new fact fit the definition of global warming given at the beginning of this article?
I'll let you think it over, in light of what I have offered above, and the global warming information you will find elsewhere on this Web site.
Remember to
keep a sharp weather watch and an open mind,
at all times.
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from A Definition Of Global Warming
