Climate Change/Global Warming Question

Okay, let me this clear from the outset. This is not intended as a debate note. I have very little education in all things science. I ask this question because I want to know the answer and because the volume of information available regarding global warming is so mindboggling, that trying to find the answer to such a seemingly simple question has proven to be a Herculean endeavor. So I’m hoping somewhere more knowledgeable than myself might have the answer.

Worries are that as temperatures rise, the polar ice caps will melt and increase sea levels thus causing massive flooding in coastal regions. However, the temperature rises that are being discussed as dangerous seem insignificant, two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), for example. Even if we make that five degrees Fahrenheit, why would that cause the ice caps to melt? I have no idea what the average temperatures are in the Arctic and Antarctic, but one gets this idea that they are cold, really, really…really cold, far below five degrees below freezing. So why would this cause them to melt? Am I wrong in my impression of how cold the temperatures normally are in the Arctic and Antarctic?

Thanks much to anyone who can shed light on this contentious topic.

Any objection to me merging this with an existing climate change thread? There's one that actually has some recent posts in it, too. I'm asking because your question is a bit more granular, so if you'd rather it be kept distinct, that's up to you.

Since you're kind enough to ask, I'd appreciate keeping it as an original post as the question is so specific and not intended as a debate topic. Thank you. P.S., I take it you don't know the answer.

Correct: I don't know the answer. If I had to guess, I'd say that, while a few degrees doesn't seem like a lot to someone living somewhere (as you say, it'd be classified as "very cold" either way), it might have more significant implications via things like melted ice and the concomitant change in sea level.

Hope you get your answer. I really don't participate in stuff like this because like you i don't know anything about it. Personally, i doubt it's that hard to find information about it. I might be wrong but i think i could probably quickly find stuff from respected institutions, of course i wouldn't be able to vouch for its accuracy as i don't know about it myself but i at least do think i'd be able to find the information.

Thanks for the way you've went about this topic BTW, very respectfully put without any baiting which i think is missing here often: and i'm as guilty of this as anyone.

I can't link at the moment but there is a very interesting article on National Geographic if you google climate change ocean temperature. I'm also interested in your question and specifically about the Galapagos. When we were there our Marine biologist guide said a rise of as little as 1 degree would have catastrophic results for biodiversity.

I'll try to answer your question, but remember I'm not a scientist...

It has to do with a warming of the ocean temperature much more, than it does with a warming of the air temperature. That's why a few degrees is more important than it might seem.

It also has to do with how much and how far the Gulf Stream transports warm waters and the circulation of cool waters in the ocean.

I didn't read this entire page, but it looks like it contains what I'm talking about.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.e3e52a6014eb

That's a really interesting article. Thanks for posting CR.

I don't like how the whole issue has become "political."

I have some strong conservative leanings, but I've been a conservationist and environmentalist since I was a little kid. I don't see my conservative views and conservationist views as mutually exclusive.

I kind of resent the whole "going green" movement as I knew about and practiced a lifestyle of environmental conservation decades before hipsters became aware that we live in a co-dependent ecoverse that needs to be preserved, respected and protected, and they only jumped on board in fad-following fashion because of some alliterative slogans!

I'm not putting this up as an absolute truth, as I really don't know, but here's Neil DeGrasse Tyson explaining the difference between Weather and Climate Change...

It was my understanding that conservative politics essentially condoned accelerated climate change because it was sufficiently evened out by the immediate benefits to certain capitalistic interests such as the coal industry and how said benefits would help countries and their (presumably conservative) governments. Since you specified "my conservative views", perhaps this particular issue is where you diverge from what passes for mainstream conservatism these days.

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That's certainly not my understanding of "conservative politics," as an actual conservative.

But Steel's post (and obviously these replies) probably belong in the other climate thread I mentioned, since Don specifically asked they not be merged because he wanted this thread to be about this one question. If people have more to say, I'll move them.

I don't wanna start a new thread, so maybe I can ask a question here (feel free to move or delete if you want).. How much is one willing to sacrifice? How long do we want to keep the Earth going? As much as I care for the environment, I have my limits, too. I wouldn't want to live in more poverty because of new, tough laws so that the Earth could go on for another billion years --- too long

Air and water to me should be at the top of the list --- and it shouldn't be a partisan issue, we ALL live here...

Also, about man-made --- of course it is. 99.9% of the history of the Earth had no fossil fuels being emitted, industrialization is very new.. It's why in the past China and India weren't on board. I'm guessing they were saying "You all developed first, had your fun" -- China only has about 10% of the population driving cars, but they have more cars than in the US... CEO Mao's modernization seemed to go against the usually non-deliberate and slow change from agricultural to industry -- everyone has to wear a mask. Is it worth it?

CR, I know we’ve had our differences politically, but I must express my appreciation as to your brief and lucid answer as well as the informative article you linked to. I think I understand now. As warmed water flows into the polar regions, the ice begins to degrade (notwithstanding the air temperature above) from below and the resulting flow of water into the oceans causes the sea levels to rise. That’s all I wanted to know, and as far as I am concerned, Yoda can close the thread.

As far as the politics of this most contentious issue is concerned, that should be discussed on another thread. For now, just let me voice my opinion that much of the rancor is based upon psychological (and not just financial) considerations. In any very contentious and emotional issue (such as abortion), both sides are so firmly convinced of the correctness of their position that they project ulterior motives onto the opposing side.

Thanks much again.

Thanks, Yoda, for honoring my request. Please see my recent response to Citizen Rules. I didn’t want my simple and narrow question to become lost as the thread diverted to acrimonious debate regarding the broad aspects of the issue in general.

Your welcome, I do like you as a person and as a MoFo...Oh, and it's OK to disagree. It was a good/interesting question that you asked, and I was glad to try and give answer.

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Gahhh that's geoblocked, PW. Is that from a doco?

Its youtube. I can send you some great channel links on youtube. there's a guy on there named potholer54 that has really broken this stuff down using all the science that is already readily available to all. Most of it is online and free to access publicly too.

Thanks so much, PW. I wonder why they geoblocked it. So frustrating when I know it's going to be a fascinating vid on an important global issue.

Not sure if its fascinating. Maybe its a little fascinating how easy it is to get folks to believe that this stuff isn't even real. I mean, take the op's question. He's talking about something that is already happening at unprecedented levels, like its something that might happen somewhere down the line. The science is already out there. You can find it easily.