Global Warming Questions and Answers

Q: It's been freezing cold where I live. Doesn't that prove that global warming is a hoax?

A: There are always cold spells and warm spells going on in one place or another. But even where weather is cold, what's considered "typical" is changing. For example, the heavy snow that struck Colorado and Kansas at the end of 2006 was actually more characteristic of that area's autumn or spring weather than a typical December. To examine long-term warming, climate scientists look at large areas and longer time periods. (From: NCAR, National Center for Atmospheric Research)

Q: Can what happened in The Day After Tomorrow happen in real life?

A: No. The dramatic, virtually instantaneous and widespread cooling envisioned in the film is fiction. But like all good science fiction, the film is premised on several important scientific facts. We know with great certainty that Earth is already warming, largely because as we burn fossil fuels and clear forests we are releasing carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. This warming is expected to continue in the coming decades, accompanied by changes in rainfall patterns and rising sea levels. The possibility of an abrupt shift in the climate system is only one feature of a changing climate that is expected to become more erratic, with extreme weather events like droughts, torrential rainfall, and extreme heat becoming more common. We can slow down global warming and reduce the likelihood of future abrupt climate changes by reducing our emissions of heat-trapping gases. (From: Union of Concerned Scientists)

Q: Why won't the U.S. ratify the Kyoto Protocol?

A: The Kyoto Protocol was signed by the U.S. government during the Clinton Administration in 1997. However, in March 2001, the Bush Administration withdrew its support for the agreement over concerns that the treaty would cause undue harm to the U.S. economy. The treaty requires that the U.S. cut its greenhouse gases to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. The Administration claimed this put too heavy a burden on the U.S. economy, arguing that there was too much uncertainty around climate change to make the economic changes that would be necessary for such emissions reductions. The Administration also argued that the treaty does not require developing nations to curb their emissions. (From: Worldwatch Institute)

Q: Couldn't Global Warming actually be beneficial?

A: Modest warming will have both positive and negative impacts. A modest increase in global temperatures could increase agricultural productivity in some areas by, for instance, lengthening the growing season. But in high latitude regions, where the warming is expected to be greatest, there is already strong evidence to suggest the current warming is having strong negative impacts, such as severe coastal erosion due to retreating sea ice, increasing sea level, and thawing of coastal permafrost. The thawing of tundra is having negative impacts on buildings, roads, and industry. Higher global sea levels associated with warmer ocean temperatures mean that storm surges associated with hurricanes will be more destructive. Moreover, the rate of future warming as projected exceeds anything seen in nature in the past 10,000 years. (From: NCAR's Earth and Sun Systems Lab/Climate and Global Dynamics Division)