The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) is clear about the connection between anthropogenic carbon emissions and global warming. The IPCC identifies greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as one of the “drivers of climate change” (IPCC, 2007). GHG’s reradiate infrared radiation that is leaving the earth towards space back down towards the earth, warming the earth (look at the image below). When the emissions of GHG’s into the atmosphere are larger than the natural removal processes of the earth, atmospheric GHG concentrations increase. Anthropogenic activities are responsible for the emission of GHG’s into the atmosphere.
This diagram from David Archer's (2007) book Global Warming explains the greenhouse effect cause by GHG's.
The IPCC (2007) reports that:
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level.
This following graph from the IPCC (2007) Annual Report 4 [AR4] demonstrates the significant global increase in GHG concentrations. Click on the image to enlarge it.
This graph from the IPCC AR4 shows global CO2 emissions and the role of deforestation in those emissions. Click on the image to enlarge it.
This graph from the IPCC AR4 shows global warming trends, sea level trends and snow cover trends. Click on the image to enlarge it.
