How does humans affect global warming

Will you join them? Read our privacy policy. Most Americans recognize climate change, but some are still unsure about its causes.

It's like the smoking-cancer link No one questions the link between smoking and cancer, because the science was settled in the s after more than 50 years of research. The rapid warming we are experiencing today can only be explained by increasing amounts of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. The link between carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and rising global temperatures has been clear to scientists since the s.

Measurements show that there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than at any other time in the past 1 million years—that is, since the dawn of humankind. Human activities are causing Earth to heat up in ways that are different from warm periods in the past. Earth is getting hotter. More Based on Science. Is it possible to achieve net-zero emissions? Does insulin resistance cause diabetes? What is the purpose of a tetanus shot? Global warming makes heat waves hotter, longer, and more common.

Climate models reliably project future conditions. Is climate change causing sea levels to rise? Earth System Science Data, 11 4 , — We value your feedback Help us improve our content Your Email Address.

Security code. Monitoring Greenhouse Gases in Antarctic Snow. Climate Change: Annual greenhouse gas index. Greenhouse Gas Concentrations - Graphing Tool. Climate Forcing. Air - Atmospheric Climate Variables. Greenhouse Gases: A Closer Look.