User talk:InformationToKnowledge/sandbox

Split causes into chapters?

Would it be OK to split causes into chapters:

Natural variability

Human forces

Uwappa (talk) 14:14, 13 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Hmm, in this draft, I decided to largely stick to what I considered to be the simpler framing of the Attribution article. That is, a list of the actual causes, all human-related, and then the two most important forms of variability - solar and volcanic - are under "Potential causes that have been ruled out" (@EMsmile's chosen wording), which is a separate heading already.

For now, I am not convinced that this article needs to discuss natural variability in any more detail. Yes, there could be a lot more details about ENSO and the other patterns, but I think it might be a better idea to cover that in the actual attribution science article - that is, to explain how the scientists can now separate out the human impact on climate from the impact of this variability. InformationToKnowledge (talk) 14:55, 13 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with a structure based on human-related versus non-human-related. But the current chapter heading and text do not support that structure.

The current "Factors affecting Earth's climate" makes a distinction between forcings, feedbacks and internal variations. Those terms are confusing, overlap, raise questions:

if forcings, feedbacks and internal variations are so important, why don't I see subchapters with those names?
Aren't all factors forcing? Would a non forcing factor be irrelevant, not worth mentioning?
Are feedbacks a causing factor? Wouldn't the factor that starts a feedback be a causing factor?
If internal variations, how about external variations?
Overlap: A feedback can be forcing. A feedback can be an internal variation. An internal variation can be forcing.

To get a simple, clear structure, with mutually exclusive terms, stick to natural versus human.

Describe the difference between human and natural forces at the start of Factors affecting Earth's climate.
The chart does support that structure, but it is hidden somewhere at the bottom of the page. Move it up!
Rename "Greenhouse gases" to "Human forces"
Rename "Potential causes that have been ruled out" to "Natural variability"
Check that subchapters are in the right main chapter, either Human or Natural.

I am not proposing to discuss natural variability in more detail. Uwappa (talk) 16:55, 13 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]