Global Warming

I am the person my friends and family ask when they have questions about science or technology. I can discuss cosmology, engineering, nuclear power, the space program and other topics with confidence. But when asked "Is global warming a real problem?", I really do not know what to say. I see a lot in the news and on various websites on the subject but have no way to evaluate the positions proponents and skeptics put forth. There are entrenched positions on both sides of the issue. Each camp claims noted climate scientists support their view. It is impossible for a layman to poll experts on the issue as one would have to estimate the credibility of each one to create a valid survey. Like most public discourse, the loudest voice attracts the most attention. There are a number of videos on the web on each side of the issue. Of the ones I have seen, they all start out making their case quoting scientists and measurement figures, then they tend to break down into wild accusations of the motives of those who take a different view from the author. This is not the way scientists work.

To get an understanding of the issue I have thought about some of the questions one must ask to get a handle on the issue.

The first question is "Is the climate getting warmer?".

If so, "Is this part of a normal cycle or a natural variation?".

Would a warming climate be a net positive or negative for humanity and all life on Earth?

Can carbon dioxide levels affect climate?

Are the quantities of CO2 we are putting into the atmosphere sufficient to cause a detectable effect?

Will CO2 levels continue to rise as we put more into the atmosphere. Will concentrations level off or reverse and be reabsorbed through natural processes such as dissolving into the ocean or be taken up by an increase in photosynthesis?

If we are negatively affecting the climate by our actions, can we do anything about it short of ending our use of fossil fuels?

I don't have the answer to any of these questions. As I work on this blog I will attempt to fill in some of the blanks.