Titre du document / Document title

Climate change: Conflict of observational science, theory, and politics

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

GERHARD Lee C. ⁽¹⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, ETATS-UNIS

Résumé / Abstract

Debate over whether human activity causes Earth climate change obscures the immensity of the dynamic systems that create and maintain climate on the planet. Anthropocentric debate leads people to believe that they can alter these planetary dynamic systems to prevent what they perceive as negative climate impacts on human civilization. Although politicians offer simplistic remedies, such as the Kyoto Protocol, global climate continues to change naturally. Better planning for the inevitable dislocations that have followed natural global climate changes throughout human history requires us to accept the fact that climate will change, and that human society must adapt to the changes. Over the last decade, the scientific literature reported a shift in emphasis from attempting to build theoretical models of putative human impacts on climate to understanding the planetwide dynamic processes that are the natural climate drivers. The current scientific literature is beginning to report the history of past climate change, the extent of natural climate variability, natural system drivers, and the episodicity of many climate changes. The scientific arguments have broadened from focus upon human effects on climate to include the array of natural phenomena that have driven global climate change for eons. However, significant political issues with long-term social consequences continue their advance. This paper summarizes recent scientific progress in climate science and arguments about human influence on climate.

Revue / Journal Title

AAPG bulletin   ISSN 0149-1423   CODEN AABUD2 

Source / Source

2004, vol. 88, n^o9, pp. 1211-1220 [10 page(s) (article)] (1 p.1/4)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, OK, ETATS-UNIS  (1974) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Pleistocene ; Phanerozoic ; Cenozoic ; Quaternary ; upper Quaternary ; Holocene ; upper Holocene ; postglacial environment ; interglacial periods ; glacial periods ; upper Pleistocene ; modern ; Neoglacial ; global change ; impact statements ; climate modification ; models ; paleoclimate ; human activity ; theory ; climate ; Europe ; global ;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Pléistocène ; Phanérozoïque ; Cénozoïque ; Quaternaire ; Quaternaire sup ; Holocène ; Holocène sup ; Milieu postglaciaire ; Période interglaciaire ; Période glaciaire ; Pléistocène sup ; Actuel ; Néoglaciaire ; Changement planétaire ; Etude impact milieu ; Modification climat ; Modèle ; Paléoclimat ; Action anthropique ; Théorie ; Climat ; Europe ; Monde ;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Fanerozoico ; Cenozoico ; Cuaternario ; Cuaternario sup ; Holoceno ; Holoceno sup ; Medio postglacial ; Período interglaciario ; Período glaciario ; Actual ; Cambio planetario ; Estudio impacto medio ; Modelo ; Paleoclima ; Acción hombre ; Teoría ; Clima ; Europa ; Mundo ;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 3085, 35400012223518.0010