By The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley
An Australian reader has sent in a question-and-answer sheet on the climate completed by Dr. Andrew Glikson on behalf of a Member of Parliament who believes “global warming” is a global crisis and has circulated Dr. Glikson’s document to her constituents. The reader has asked us to provide a commentary on Dr. Glikson’s answers, which we do with pleasure.
1. Are human activities contributing to climate change? How do we know the atmosphere build up of greenhouse gases is due to human activity?
Glikson: Since the industrial revolution in the mid-18th century, combustion of fossil fuel resulted in the emission of more than 320 billion tons of carbon in the form of CO2. This is more than half the pre-industrial carbon content of the atmosphere of 590 billion tons. About 200 billion tons stayed in the atmosphere, raising CO2 concentration from 280 parts per million (ppm) to the current level of 388 ppm. (more…)