Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Figures and Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART ONE EARTH'S CLIMATE HISTORY AND OUTLOOK
- 1 Salient Events of Climate History
- 2 Human and Climate Interactions
- 3 Greenhouse Gases
- 4 Emitting Economic Sectors
- 5 Forecasts of GHG Emissions and Global Temperatures
- 6 Potential Impacts of Climate Change
- PART TWO CLIMATE POLICY CHOICES
- Appendix: Discount Rates in Climate Analysis
- References
- Index
2 - Human and Climate Interactions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Figures and Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- PART ONE EARTH'S CLIMATE HISTORY AND OUTLOOK
- 1 Salient Events of Climate History
- 2 Human and Climate Interactions
- 3 Greenhouse Gases
- 4 Emitting Economic Sectors
- 5 Forecasts of GHG Emissions and Global Temperatures
- 6 Potential Impacts of Climate Change
- PART TWO CLIMATE POLICY CHOICES
- Appendix: Discount Rates in Climate Analysis
- References
- Index
Summary
The last interglacial prior to our current period occurred around 120,000 years ago. At that time, natural forces brought about a much higher sea level than today. Distinguishing the role of natural forces from human influences on the climate is a critical and controversial topic, particularly when considering the rapid rise in the global average temperature in the last century or so. The implications are profound for climate forecasts and the need for climate policy responses. If natural forces are likely to halt or even reverse the current warming trend within a few decades, only limited investments would be needed to counter the prospective effects of climate change. But if the recent pace of warming is likely to be sustained or even accelerate in the future, a more urgent and substantial policy response is required.
CLIMATE AND HUMAN EVOLUTION
Around 160 Mya, while circling the Sun in the inner portion of the region between Mars and Jupiter, an asteroid 65 km wide struck another of 160 km in diameter. Fragments from the collision, known as the Baptistina family of asteroids, continued orbiting the Sun, but on new, less stable trajectories. Many of the pieces gradually found their way into the inner solar system, doubling the usual rate of impact by large objects. One mountain-sized chunk may have hit the moon around 108 Mya, blasting out the 80-km-wide Tycho Crater.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Climate Policy FoundationsScience and Economics with Lessons from Monetary Regulation, pp. 35 - 54Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011