Actually the science behind it is simple, even simple enough for reporters to grasp...
CO2 molecules don’t radiate energy. Depending on the density of an atmosphere, the sun’s energy hits the surface of a planet. some of that energy is absorbed by the atmosphere. Some of that energy is absorbed by the planet. And some of it is reflected back out into space.
The key is that the denser atmosphere acts as an insulator, absorbing more energy on the way in, and allowing less of the energy to be radiated back into space. CO2 is denser than the normal molecular Nitrogen/Oxygen mixture that primarily makes up our atmosphere. The greater the percentage of CO2, the denser the atmosphere, especially at ground level.
Do I buy the whole “global warming” thing? Well, sort of... I believe that we’re in a natural warming phase of the planet, possibly caused by recent sun storm activity, or possibly by the simple natural cyclic variance of the climate on the earth.
Do I believe that we can control “global warming?” Uh... No.
Mark
But do I buy that
The CO2 can be somehwat controlled (although very expensively) but the other greehouse gases (methane, for instance) can’t. However, the combustion of fossil fuels also puts small particles in the air and causes a reflection of sunlight approximately equal to the calculated “forcing function” of CO2 gas.
So the thinking goes.....”we’ll control the CO2, keep the fine particles, and all will be OK and you don’t have to feel guilty about driving your car or heating your home, right?
Trouble is...the CO2 scrubbers, also remove the fine particles !!!
Oh well, back to the drawing board.