However, what is more open to discussion, is whether the...
Humans cause climate changing
There is no doubt the temperature of the earth is rising. The temperature figures prove this. However, what is more open to discussion, is whether the changing However, what is more open to discussion, is whether the changing climate is due to human influence or if it some natural phenomenon. My opponent has based her case around the emissions of CO2 into the atmosphere. Again, while atmospheric CO2 levels are high, it is not a certainty that this is caused by humans. In fact, the globe has, at periods in it's past, been hotter than it is now. In the Mesozoic era. better know as the reign of the dinosaurs, the climate was much hotter and dryer than it is now and there was certainly no industry back then to emit greenhouse gases. There was also little or no ice at the poles for extended periods of time. My point is, if there is proof that it happened once, then why can't the climate rise without human interference yet again. (http://www.enchantedlearning.com...) My next point is in regards to my opponents link between deforestation and climate change. While it is a problem that deforestation has such a negative impact on the ecosystem and is threatening the lives of many species, it is not a climate change issue. Tree's are not actually the best organisms for removing C02 from the air. This title belongs to algae. A colony of algae has the ability to photosynthesise more carbon dioxide in a year than a tree will in it's entire life. Add to this the fact that algae can reproduce rapidly, take up less space, and are now being farmed for their sustainable properties and biomass promises and the loss of a few CO2 reducing trees does not have such a devastating affect on the atmosphere. (http://www.ecogreenglobe.com...) (http://allaboutalgae.com...) Also, humans are not the only things emitting greenhouse gases. Methane a gas that has stronger greenhouse affect than CO2 has been rising off wetlands for ages. While humans do contribute to methane in the atmosphere, wetlands have long been responsible for methane emmisions due to methane producing bacteria. Termites, Hydrates, Wild Fires and Animals also all produce methane. My point here is that, while humans are producing chemicals like methane and CO2, so to is the environment, meaning that humans are not he only source and hence not the ultimate cause of the greenhouse affect. (http://www.epa.gov...) 24hrs is rather short time to research and formulate arguments to I'll leave it at that for now and await my opponents response.