Glaciers are reacting on climate change
The monitoring of glaciers gives important information to climate research. From the ice shields of Greenland and Antarctica researchers obtain several kilometers long ice cores that contain data about the climate of the past, nearly 900 thousand years back in time.
Can we be sure that our emissions of greenhouse gases have changed the climate?
Figure 1 shows temperature (red line) and the amount of the greenhouse gases methane (lower green line) and carbon dioxide (upper blue line) during the last 400,000 years. It shows that the natural changes in climate occur at more or less regular intervals of approx. 100,000 years, with short and warm interglacials and long glacials or ice ages. These variations are connected to changes in the Earth's orbit, amplified through variations in greenhouse gas concentrations.
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| Figure 1 |
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| Figure 2 |
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through burning of coal and petroleum products mankind has increased the amount of carbon dioxide as much as the natural difference between ice ages and interglacials, which is the equivalent to 8 °C. Hence the additional carbon dioxide must lead to additional global warming. A warmer atmosphere will in average contain more water vapour and lead to increased precipitation.
What will the changes in climate be like?
Figure 2 shows that global temperature has increased fast since 1980. Data from 2005 and 2006 shows that these years have been the warmest on the northern hemisphere in the instrumental record of global surface temperature, and that eleven of the last twelve years (1995-2006) rank among the 12 warmest years.
Scientists agree on the fact that the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased, and that this will lead to climate change. But there are uncertainties, since the man-made greenhouse effect occurs together with the natural effects, and these affect each other. Concerning the numerical simulation of climate, there are as well still uncertainties. We do not fully understand the driving forces of the climate, e.g. the coupling between sea and atmosphere and feedback mechanisms, such as those influenced by changes in the Earth's surface, e.g. from ice/snow cover to water.
Most of the climate researchers share the opinion today, that within the year 2050 the Earth's climate will reach a state where temperature conditions will be different from everything mankind has experienced so far in history. What life will be like on our planet then, we don't know. Regulations or adjustments might become far more difficult for us than they will be in the next few decades. But possible counter-measures against climatic changes must build on knowledge, not on fear.
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| Sources to man made CO2-emissions |
| Energy production |
24 % |
| Industry |
19 % |
| Forestry |
17 % |
| Farming |
14 % |
| Traffic |
13 % |
| Construction |
8 % |
| Waste disposal |
3 % |
| Air traffic |
2 % |
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If all the peoples of the world were to live like us, it would require the energy and resources of more than three planets ...
The climatic challenges we face will need action at several levels. The issues have to be solved through national and international leadership. What each one of us do is important - we can all with a little effort make a big difference. Here are some hints on what to do. Good luck!
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At home:
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At the office: |
Transport: |
- turn off the lights when you leave a room
- turn off all stand-by functions
- turn down the temperature
- install a time switch
- use energy saving light bulbs
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- use scrap paper for notes
- print on both sides
- send e-mails in stead of faxes
- turn off PC's and copy machines at the end of the day
- use telephone meetings and video conferences
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- use a bike or walk on shorter distances
- drive less car or drive together with others
- lower your speed and keep the speed limit
- avoid air planes - take the bus or the train
- invest in a hybrid car
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