How we know humans cause global warming (1 of 5): A 175-year-old Puzzle
Most people these days accept that our planet is warming, but some find it hard to believe that mere humans could cause such a large-scale global change. How do we know that the warming is due to human...
View ArticleHow We Know Humans Cause Global Warming (2 of 5): What Chemistry Tells Us
On Monday, I posted part one of my colleague Bill Chameides’ series on how we know humans cause global warming (also available here), in which he gave a brief history of early climate change science....
View ArticleHow We Know Humans Cause Global Warming (3 of 5): Causes of Past Climate Change
In the first two installments of his series, my colleague Bill Chameides gave a brief history of climate change science and then discussed the evidence showing that atmospheric CO2 levels are rising...
View ArticleHow We Know Humans Cause Global Warming (4 of 5): Medieval Warming Period
In the first three installments of his series, my colleague Bill Chameides has given a brief history of climate change science, an explanation of why we attribute rising CO2 levels to human activities,...
View ArticleClimate Models (1 of 2): How They Work
Computer models are everywhere. Engineers use them to design airplanes and buildings. Health experts use them to plan for epidemics. Fire researchers use them to improve safety regulations and protect...
View ArticleUrgent Action Alert! Cut NYC pollution: Call for congestion pricing
I got to play Ghostbuster last summer. I was a volunteer for an air quality survey in New York City, which meant I walked around Midtown carrying a bunch of pollution sensors in a backpack. On a...
View ArticleHow We Know Humans Cause Global Warming (5 of 5): The Only Explanation Left
Compared to 100 years ago, the atmosphere is warmer. No one disputes that, or that an extra source of heat must be causing it. That's a basic law of physics. But how do we know that the source of the...
View ArticleIf I'm posting diaries, can I still be ClimateLurker?
Recently, I've been asked by a number of people how I can call myself a lurker. After all, this isn't my first diary. The answer is that I chose the name based on another definition of "lurker" - one...
View ArticleClimate Models (2 of 2): How Good Are They?
Stephen Colbert once quipped, "It's not that I don't believe in climate change, it's that I don't believe in climate. Have you ever heard anyone say, 'How's the climate?' No! They say, 'How's the...
View ArticleWater Vapor and Global Warming
Yesterday there was a lot of discussion about the effect water vapor, particularly dimers, will have on global warming. There was also a lot of confusion over the general role of water vapor in global...
View ArticleNot So Sure About Global Warming? Some Thoughts On Scientific Uncertainty
I've been reading a great book called Uncertain Science... Uncertain World by Henry Pollack - a readable and engaging discussion of decision-making in the face of uncertainty. Pollack argues that...
View ArticleGlobal Warming, Hurricanes, and WSJ
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published an Op-Ed by Dr. William Gray titled "Hurricanes and Hot Air". In it, Dr. Gray argues that there is no link between global warming and the recent increase in...
View ArticleOzone Alert For Plants: New Global Warming Worry
Cross-posted at Climate411 If you’re in or near a big city, you’ve probably heard your local news give ozone alerts. Those warnings mean that smog levels are high enough to affect your lungs. Even...
View ArticleDrive-By Extinction, Health, and Global Warming: The Many Faces of Nitrogen
This weekend there was a news story about how vehicle emissions are affecting native species in California – not because of pollution per se, but because the nitrogen in the emissions inadvertently...
View ArticleBeyond Climate: Carbon and Cows
When people talk about the harmful effects of fossil fuels, they usually focus on global warming. But as I explained in my diary about nitrogen pollution, and as my colleague Bill Chameides discussed...
View ArticleGlobal Warming and Water in the Western U.S.
Also posted at Climate411. Sunday's New York Times Magazine had an article aptly titled "The Future is Drying Up", about the threats that climate change and booming populations pose to precious water...
View ArticleWhy We Need to Cut Emissions as Soon as Possible
I know that most readers here don't need to be convinced that we need to start reducing greenhouse gas emissions ASAP. But perhaps you'd like to be armed with a few facts for discussing this issue with...
View ArticleSaving Energy by Saving Water - and Vice Versa
My colleague Mary Kelly posted this on Climate411 yesterday. I'm posting it here because it's great to identify as many areas as possible where addressing one environmental concern has benefits for...
View ArticleThe Global Warming in the Pipeline
Also posted on Climate411. There are lots of reasons for passing good climate legislation as soon as possible. One reason that adds urgency but gets little attention is this: even if we could...
View ArticleGlobal Warming Science 2007: A Review
All year long my colleagues and I have been monitoring developments in climate science, and posting about the important new developments on Climate411 and DailyKos. I thought now would be a good time...
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