“This analysis shows that on longer time scales our planet may be much more sensitive to greenhouse gases than we thought,” Kiehl says.
Climate scientists are currently adding more sophisticated depictions of ice sheets and other factors to computer models. As these improvements come on line, Kiehl believes that the computer models and the paleoclimate record will be in closer agreement, showing that the impacts of carbon dioxide on climate over time will likely be far more substantial than recent research has indicated.
Because carbon dioxide is being pumped into the atmosphere at a rate that has never been experienced, Kiehl could not estimate how long it would take for the planet to fully heat up. However, a rapid warm-up would make it especially difficult for societies and ecosystems to adapt, he says.
If emissions continue on their current trajectory, “the human species and global ecosystems will be placed in a climate state never before experienced in human history,” the paper states.
About the Article:
Title of the Article: “Lessons from Earth’s Past”
Author: Jeffrey Kiehl
Published in ‘Science’ on January 14, 2011, Vol. 331 no. 6014 pp. 158-159; DOI: 10.1126/science.1199380
Click here to read Full Article:
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) under sponsorship by the National Science Foundation.
Source: Press Release from NCAR & UCAR News Center dated January 13, 2011.
