John L. Daly

John L. Daly, the author of The Greenhouse Trap and numerous articles on climate change, argues in the following viewpoint that the 0.5 degree Centigrade (1.5 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature increase recorded over the past century is due almost entirely to varying radiation from the sun. According to Daly, the last 120 years was a period of intense solar activity, with the biggest radiation peak ever recorded occurring in 1980, resulting in a hotter sun and rising global temperatures. Daly claims that global warming proponents downplay the role of the sun because admitting to solar variability would release humans from blame for rising temperatures.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How often does the sun’s radiation peak, according to the author?
2. According to Daly, what is misleading about recent claims that the earth is now warmer than at any...