Query: The observed behavior of radiation fluxes implies negative feedback processes associated with relatively low climate sensitivity.

Relevant passages:
Reinforcement <=SEP=> In behavioral psychology , reinforcement is a consequence that will strengthen an organism 's future behavior whenever that behavior is preceded by a specific antecedent stimulus . This strengthening effect may be measured as a higher frequency of behavior ( e.g. , pulling a lever more frequently ) , longer duration ( e.g. , pulling a lever for longer periods of time ) , greater magnitude ( e.g. , pulling a lever with greater force ) , or shorter latency ( e.g. , pulling a lever more quickly following the antecedent stimulus ) .   Rewarding stimuli , which are associated with `` wanting '' and `` liking '' ( desire and pleasure , respectively ) and appetitive behavior , function as positive reinforcers ; the converse statement is also true : positive reinforcers provide a desirable stimulus . Reinforcement does not require an individual to consciously perceive an effect elicited by the stimulus . Thus , reinforcement occurs only if there is an observable strengthening in behavior . However , there is also negative reinforcement , which is characterized by taking away an undesirable stimulus . An ibuprofen is a negative reinforcer because it takes away pain .   In most cases , the term `` reinforcement '' refers to an enhancement of behavior , but this term is also sometimes used to denote an enhancement of memory ; for example , `` post-training reinforcement '' refers to the provision of a stimulus ( such as food ) after a learning session in an attempt to increase the retained breadth , detail , and duration of the individual memories or overall memory just formed . The memory-enhancing stimulus can also be one whose effects are directly rather than only indirectly emotional , as with the phenomenon of `` flashbulb memory , '' in which an emotionally highly intense stimulus can incentivize memory of a set of a situation 's circumstances well beyond the subset of those circumstances that caused the emotionally significant stimulus , as when people of appropriate age are able to remember where they were and what they were doing when they learned of the assassination of John F. Kennedy or of the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks .   Reinforcement is an important part of operant or instrumental conditioning .

Climate change feedback <=SEP=> Climate change feedback is important in the understanding of global warming because feedback processes may amplify or diminish the effect of each climate forcing , and so play an important part in determining the climate sensitivity and future climate state . Feedback in general is the process in which changing one quantity changes a second quantity , and the change in the second quantity in turn changes the first . Positive feedback amplifies the change in the first quantity while negative feedback reduces it .   The term `` forcing '' means a change which may `` push '' the climate system in the direction of warming or cooling . An example of a climate forcing is increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases . By definition , forcings are external to the climate system while feedbacks are internal ; in essence , feedbacks represent the internal processes of the system . Some feedbacks may act in relative isolation to the rest of the climate system ; others may be tightly coupled ; hence it may be difficult to tell just how much a particular process contributes . Forcings , feedbacks and the dynamics of the climate system determine how much and how fast the climate changes . The main positive feedback in global warming is the tendency of warming to increase the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere , which in turn leads to further warming . The main negative feedback comes from the Stefan -- Boltzmann law , the amount of heat radiated from the Earth into space changes with the fourth power of the temperature of Earth 's surface and atmosphere .   Some observed and potential effects of global warming are positive feedbacks , which contribute directly to further global warming . The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 's ( IPCC ) Fourth Assessment Report states that `` Anthropogenic warming could lead to some effects that are abrupt or irreversible , depending upon the rate and magnitude of the climate change . ''

Global warming <=SEP=> Global warming , also referred to as climate change , is the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth 's climate system and its related effects . Multiple lines of scientific evidence show that the climate system is warming . Many of the observed changes since the 1950s are unprecedented in the instrumental temperature record which extends back to the mid 19th century , and in paleoclimate proxy records over thousands of years .   In 2013 , the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) Fifth Assessment Report concluded that `` It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century . '' The largest human influence has been emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide , methane and nitrous oxide . Climate model projections summarized in the report indicated that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to for their lowest emissions scenario and 2.6 to for the highest emissions scenario . These findings have been recognized by the national science academies of the major industrialized nations and are not disputed by any scientific body of national or international standing .   Future climate change and associated impacts will differ from region to region around the globe . Anticipated effects include warming global temperature , rising sea levels , changing precipitation , and expansion of deserts in the subtropics . Warming is expected to be greater over land than over the oceans and greatest in the Arctic , with the continuing retreat of glaciers , permafrost and sea ice . Other likely changes include more frequent extreme weather events including heat waves , droughts , heavy rainfall with floods and heavy snowfall ; ocean acidification ; and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes . Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the abandonment of populated areas due to rising sea levels . Because the climate system has a large `` inertia '' and greenhouse gases will stay in the atmosphere for a long time , many of these effects will not only exist for decades or centuries , but will persist for tens of thousands of years .   Possible societal responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction , adaptation to its effects , building systems resilient to its effects , and possible future climate engineering . Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) ,  whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change . Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required and that global warming should be limited to well below 2.0 C-change relative to pre-industrial levels , with efforts made to limit warming to 1.5 C-change .   Public reactions to global warming and concern about its effects are also increasing . A global 2015 Pew Research Center report showed a median of 54 % consider it `` a very serious problem '' . There are significant regional differences , with Americans and Chinese ( whose economies are responsible for the greatest annual CO2 emissions ) among the least concerned .