Climate

The Earth’s climate has gone through major changes in the past, transitioning from hot “greenhouse” states to periods when most of the planet was covered in ice. Understanding these changes gives a much needed perspective on current climate change. We will look at how climate is naturally influenced by the sun and greenhouse gases, how current changes are faster than ever and how the human influence will last well beyond our civilisations.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently concluded, “human influence on the climate system is clear”. Indeed, 2015 was the hottest year since records began in the mid 19th century, being around 1°C warmer than typical temperatures averaged across the globe when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne. This might not sound like much, but the effects of warming are clear across many aspects of the global environmental system. This talk will give an overview of Earth’s climate from the mid 19th century to the present day, touching on major breakthroughs in our scientific understanding