Here is a long term map of CO2 and temperature:
Compare this to short term:
To really understand these we need to know
1) How "Global Temperature Anomaly" is calculated
2) How "Temperature Difference" is calculated
3) How Temperature and CO2 levels were measured or estimated. Where were the measurements/samples taken from, etc.
4) If the measurements were "corrected" or "calibrated" in any way. If so, how?
5) Why neither of these charts have any error bars. Where is the ERROR?The caption for the upper figure provides us with some of this info:
This figure shows the temperature record from the Vostok ice core (dark blue), together with CO2 (red) from the Vostok ice core, the Law Dome ice core, and from the Mauna Loa monitoring station in Hawaii. The near vertical line on the right represents the change in CO2 associated with the industrial revolution.
http://www.brighton73.freeserve.co.uk/gw/paleo/400000yrfig.htmEven so, more self-research is necessary to understand the workflow that resulted in each of these graphs. My point is that graphs can be made to show whatever the graphmaker wants. Was the lower chart posted by flipro designed to inform or to scare? Is the upper chart designed to inform viewers about the CO2-Temp relationship, or hide the importance of more recent data by using huge scales?
If you think you understand global warming and have not done this minimum amount of self-research, you are wrong. You do not really understand and can be manipulated with anecdotes and images. I am no expert in climatology, and do not have the answers to the above questions right now. My goal with this post is to contrast accepting "expert", forum poster, and journalist interpretations vs. an example of a rational approach.