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Anthropogenic global warming refers to that portion of global warming attributed to human activity, specifically the introduction of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Atmosphere scientists are divided on how much of the 20th century's 0.6 degree centigrade warming was caused by human activity. See global warming controversy.

Scientific Aspects

The consensus of climate scientists, as reported by the IPCC, is that temperatures have risen 0.6 +/- 0.2C in the last century, though a small number dispute this. Most climate scientists recognize that the Little Ice Age, a cold period, ended recently and of course warming happens at the end of a cold period. More open to question is the proportion of this warming that is due to human influence. A summary of climate research may be found in the IPCC assessment reports, though it is difficult for the layperson to assess which sources should be believed.

More is available from the global warming page.

The UN sponsors the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an organization which aims to be objective, but its opponents assert that it has rewritten scientific reports because of political pressure (see: IPCC TAR Summary Conflict). The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.

SEPP, an organization which claims to be non-partisan, presents a number of objections to interpretation of the available data on global warming. In particular, they point out that temperature measurements from weather balloons show no warming whatsoever in the 1979 to 1996 period when land-based thermometers show record-breaking rises (they won't tell you that the longer-term balloon record from 1958 matches the land-based record well). Also, they present evidence that rising temperatures cause sea level to fall (not rise, as orthodox global warming theory predicts) although this is widely disbelieved. However, the oil corporation ExxonMobil is one of SEPP's sponsors.

Political aspects

Internationally, political debate has been going on about the possibility to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. This led to the Kyoto protocol, signed by a number of especially European nations, in which they promise to reduce emissions. This can be done by using less or cleaner energy, but also by planting woods or by investing in cleaner energy in other countries.

The science working group of the IPCC Third Assessment Report (TAR) recognizes that the climate models in the IPCC Second and Third Assessment Reports are seriously flawed because there are many uncertainties, important climate factors not supported, and many discoveries since the SAR. The Kyoto Protocol, created before the TAR, was influenced by the climate projections from these flawed models.

The U.S. Democratic Party considers anthropogenic global warming to be such a well-established danger to humanity that it supports the Kyoto Protocol. President Clinton and Vice-president Gore both stated repeatedly that "the science is settled", but Clinton refused to send the Kyoto treaty to the senate for confirmation. A senate resolution condemning Kyoto passed 95-0.

Many conservatives in the U.S. believe that the dangers of anthropogenic global warming is highly exaggerated. Among them is President Bush, who has declared not to be willing to ratify the Kyoto protocols or similar agreements, as he regards them harmful for the American economy.