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Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and the oceans since the mid-twentieth century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 100 years ending in 2005. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that anthropogenic (human-sourced) greenhouse gases are responsible for most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the twentieth century, and natural phenomena such as solar variation and volcanoes probably had a small warming effect from pre-industrial times to 1950 and a small cooling effect from 1950 onward. These basic conclusions have been endorsed by more than 40 scientific societies and academies of science, including all of the national academies of science of the major industrialized countries. Climate model projections summarized in the latest IPCC report indicate that global surface temperature will probably rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) during the twenty-first century. The uncertainty in this estimate arises from the use of models with differing climate sensitivity, and the use of differing estimates of future greenhouse gas emissions. Some other uncertainties include how warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming is expected to continue beyond 2100, even if emissions have stopped, because of the large heat capacity of the oceans and the lifespan of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. • Pictured left: 1999-2008 Mean temperatures: This figure shows the difference in instrumentally determined surface temperatures between the period January 1999 through December 2008 and "normal" temperatures at the same locations, defined to be the average over the interval January 1940 to December 1980. The average increase on this graph is 0.48 °C, and the widespread temperature increases are considered to be an aspect of global warming. Source: NASA Sea level trends between 1993 – 2010 . Per the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), "The following maps provide estimates of sea level rise based on measurements from satellite radar altimeters. The local trends were estiamted using data from TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P), Jason-1, and Jason-2, which have monitored the same ground track since 1992. An inverted barometer has been applied. The estimates of sea level rise do not include glacial isostatic adjustment effects on the geoid, which are modeled to be +0.2 to +0.5 mm/year when globally averaged." Pictured left: A schematic showing the regions where natural disasters are predicted to occur due to climate change. Source: UNEP/GRID-Arendal Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average (e.g., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region or may occur across the whole Earth. The term sometimes is used to refer specifically to climate change caused by human activity, as opposed to changes in climate that may have resulted as part of Earth's natural processes. In this latter sense, used especially in the context of environmental policy, the term climate change today is synonymous with anthropogenic global warming. Within scientific journals, however, global warming refers to surface temperature increases, while climate change includes global warming and everything else that increasing greenhouse gas amounts will affect. Climate changes in response to changes in the global energy balance. On the broadest scale, the rate at which energy is received from the sun and the rate at which it is lost to space determine the equilibrium temperature and climate of Earth. This energy is then distributed around the globe by winds, ocean currents, and other mechanisms to affect the climates of different regions. Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier (March 21, 1768 – May 16, 1830) was a French mathematician and physicist best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series and their application to problems of heat flow. The Fourier transform is also named in his honour. Fourier is also generally credited with the discovery of the greenhouse effect. Fourier was born at Auxerre (now in the Yonne département of France), the son of a tailor. He was orphaned at age nine. Fourier was recommended to the Bishop of Auxerre, and through this introduction, he was educated by the Benvenistes of the Convent of St. Mark. The commissions in the scientific corps of the army were reserved for those of good birth, and being thus ineligible, he accepted a military lectureship on mathematics. He took a prominent part in his own district in promoting the French Revolution, and was rewarded by an appointment in 1795 in the École Normale Supérieure, and subsequently by a chair at the École Polytechnique. In 1822 Fourier presented his work on heat flow in Théorie analytique de la chaleur (The Analytic Theory of heat), in which he based his reasoning on Newton's law of cooling, namely, that the flow of heat between two adjacent molecules is proportional to the extremely small difference of their temperatures. A significant contribution was Fourier's proposal of his partial differential equation for conductive diffusion of heat. This equation is now taught to every student of mathematical physics. Air pollution Climate change Glossary of climate change Greenhouse effect Greenhouse gases History of climate change science Human impact on the environment Index of climate change articles List of renewable energy topics by country Renewable energy commercialization WikiProject Environment WikiProject Environment – Climate change task force WikiProject Globalization WikiProject Council File:Antarctica temps2 1957-2006.jpg Image showing the temperature trend in Antarctica between 1957 and 2006 From the Wikinews Climate change category August 6: Australian–US team of scientists finds Atlantic warming causes Pacific climate trends July 28: Scientists analyse effects of global warming, atmospheric ozone on crops June 6: Queen's Speech sets out Coalition government's final year agenda December 31: Expected U.S. Senate special election taking shape in Massachusetts July 5: On the campaign trail, June 2012 April 15: Wikinews Shorts: April 14, 2012 March 30: Report indicates continued severe weather problems still looming December 21: Wikinews interviews former Salt Lake City mayor and 2012 presidential candidate Rocky Anderson September 26: Delhi earns UN carbon credits April 17: Bloomberg and Clinton create green alliance Additional News NASA announces that 2012 was the ninth warmest of any year since 1880.[1] United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20): Banks have made a investment shift from roads to public transport $175bn (20 June 2012) [2] Climate change in China: In June 2012 was studied that China's carbon emissions could be nearly 20% higher than thought. 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference – December 7 until December 18, 2009 Here are some tasks awaiting attention: Expand : Add – {{portal|Global warming}} to related articles • Global warming in Canada • Total equivalent warming impact NPOV : Long-term effects of global warming Verify : Climate change in Massachusetts • Effects of global warming on Australia • Extreme Ice Survey • Glacier mass balance • Global Warming: Opposing Viewpoints (2002) • Global-warming potential • World Wide Views on Global Warming (organization) Other : Be bold. 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