Global warming evidence

Global warming would also be expected to influence surface waters such as lakes and streams, through changes induced in the hydrologic cycle. However, the last published report of the IPCC states no clear evidence of widespread change in annual streamflows and peak discharges of rivers in the world (IPCC, 1995, p. 158). Wliile lake and inland sea levels have fluctuated, the IPCC also points out that local effects make it difficult to use lake levels to monitor climate variations. 

Scientists have noticed various shifts in Earth s equilibrium in recent years. Since Earth is in a dynamic equilibrium, some shifts occur naturally. There is considerable evidence, however, that the following shifts have been caused by, or at least strongly influenced by, human activibes. Some of these shifts may be familiar to you, with names such as global warming, ozone holes, and loss of biodiversity. ... 

Figure 8 The osmium isotope excursion documented at site 549 from Ravizza et al. (2001) is coincident with the carbon isotope excursion that marks the PETM. This association has been interpreted as evidence of accelerated global average weathering rates in response to this global warming event and provides a clear example of the utility of coupling osmium isotope data with conventional stable isotope records of ocean chemistry.

The arguments about global warming are complicated by seemingly contradictory evidence. For example, Antarctica has been growing colder overall in recent years, but the average temperature of the Antarctic Peninsula, which extends northward... 

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