Global Warming Misconceptions Busted

Over the years, the topic of “global warming” has been a subject of intense debate among scientists and politicians.  There are two opposing views. The first professes the theory that warming of the atmosphere on a global scale is a cyclical phenomenon. The other group lobbies that human activity is accelerating the rise in global mean temperatures. In short both parties agree on “global warming” but bifurcate when it comes to anthropogenic global warming.

The arguments put across by both parties are equally compelling.  Numerous books have been written and documentaries have been made by members of each camp. This initially a purely academic war has not only gained political significance but is now an issue that settles choices among masses. On one side there is the book “The Hockey Stick Illusion: Climate gate and the corruption of Science”, one the other hand there is a documentary “Inconvinnient truth” by the former US vice president Al Gore. As can be noticed from the titles, in both these articles scientific facts are discharged with  emotional overtones. And it does not take rocket science to assess which group would be privileged in a world that runs on oil.

While looking at both these articles judiciously, it would be hard to discount the fact that there is not affect oil on the environment. It should be noted that refineries in the US have reported that on average 42 barrels of crude oil produce approximately 12 barrels of diesel and 19 barrels of petrol (gasoline).  The refineries in addition also produced kerosene oil.  These are fuels that power almost all our transport (Land, Air and Sea). Given that 90 million barrels of crude oil is being pumped every  day, more than half of it (45 million barrels) eventually ends up as smoke. Most of it as CO2 (30 Giga Tonnes). While some scientists may be convinced that in the grand scheme of things, this is an insignificant value but it is no doubt a figure that is rising. There is also a positive feed back loop between the global rise in temperatures oceans belching out the stored CO2.

In the video below Derek Alexander Muller the Australian-Canadian science communicator,  very succinctly encompasses  some of the established facts that are being muddied and  also bursts many of the myths about Global warming.

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