Urban Heat Islands

There is a general understanding that the Earth is warming ... as much as 2 degrees Fahrenheit during the recent Industrial Age. Maybe so, but I doubt that this is an accurate number. To me it is impossible to measure the temperature of our planet ... particularly with any precision. Yes, we can see glaciers melting or permafrost disappearing ... but 2 degrees everywhere? I am skeptical.

One reason for my doubts about the precision of this number is due to the “urban heat islands” effect. When temperature readings are taken at the same locations for a long time, we know that there is a high likelihood that there have been environmental changes ... more asphalt pavings, fewer trees, running air conditioners and refrigeration that pump heat out to where it wasn’t before, etc. ... that causes bias in these readings ... thus the term, ”urban heat islands.”

Multiply this by thousands of measuring locals ... means that there is clearly a bias in this famous 2 degree global temperature increase.

Now, as to whether any change is due to our good friend, carbon dioxide ...