Quote:Please explain away the greenhouse effect. Please explain away that co2 is a greenhouse gas. Please explain away that human activity is adding co2 into the atmosphere. Then please explain away the necessary implications of those simple facts.


I'll more than willing to change position on this issue. In fact, I had no position at all on this matter until Malabarjag started posting rightwing talking points about global warming. That looked off to me. Blaming scientists, believing politicians. So I did my own research. And now here we sit.


But, please. Explain away the actual science.


I'll wait.


I was a philosophy major btw, you will never find someone more open-minded.


But, please. Explain the science away.

 

First off, I posted no 'rightwing talking points' so that is a flat out lie. Of course this is from someone who thinks the IPCC is conservative. From that viewpoint just about everything is 'rightwing.' It must be lonely out there on the fringe left.


 

CO2 is a greenhouse gas (misnamed since a greenhouse doesn't work that way, but the name doesn't matter since the mechanism is understood). CO2 absorbs various wavelengths in the IR and re-releases them, which re-directs some back downwards.


 

Ignoring everything but CO2, the expected additional warming from a doubling of CO2 concentration is 1.2 degrees C
. Note that that's for an increase from 400 ppm to 800 ppm, in the past 100 years CO2 concentration increased about 100 ppm. Even most believers admit that 1.2 degrees C of warming would be beneficial, as is the additional CO2 to plants and thus to the biosphere in general. The higher values claimed for CO2 warming are based on the supposition that additional water vapor in the warmer atmosphere will amplify the effect. Measurements of atmospheric water vapor show no increase.

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