Past climate changes as an analogue for our future world
IMAGINE the average temperature of Ireland increasing by 10C in just a few decades. This would be an extraordinarily dangerous change, and is much larger than predicted by climate models simulating global warming.
Astonishingly this kind of change has happened in the not-so-distant past on multiple occasions, demonstrating the fragile nature of the climate system in which we live and thrive. Unlike the current increase in global temperatures and sea level, owing to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, these past temperature swings were due to the natural variability of the planet’s climate itself — but could happen again in the future. This will be outlined to the governments of 190 nations who will convene at COP21 — the UN Conference on Climate Change — next month.
