You're right, the two are not the same. This is a very difficult problem because the global weather machine is extremely complex and poorly understood.
For example, water vapor is a much more effective greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and the effect of the former should totally mask that of the latter, but it is CO2 that seems to track the temperature rise, while H2O varies so much spatially and temporally it is impossible to measure its overall levels. There are probably several intermediate factors at work. I suspect it is caused by the fact water vapor has a negative feedback associated with it (freeze-out at high altitudes, precipitation, or cloud formation) while carbon dioxide just accumulates after it overwhelms its natural sinks.
However, those who might find the causation financially inconvenient will do everything they possibly can to first deny the correlation itself as non-existent. The denialists have devised a defense in depth, they are now abandoning their front-line trenches and falling back to prepared positions further to the rear. A desire to avoid paying the bill is something you can always count on.
Space/Science » in reply to Well it does raise an important consideration.
Causation vs Correlation
The whole thread (25 posts)
- Shaken, not stirred.