Climate Change and Its Impact on Humanity: A Comprehensive Overview

Pleistocene Era

2.58 Million Year Epoch.

Holocene Period

Interglacial period began 11,700 years ago.

Causal Claims

Events occurring sequentially do not imply causation.

Climate Change

Complex process of environmental changes.

Fossil Fuels

Primary source of carbon emissions globally.

Carbon Emissions

90% from fossil fuels, 75% globally.

Methane Emissions

Contributes 11% to global greenhouse gases.

Nitrous Oxides

Combined with methane, less than 20% total.

Anthropocene

Era marked by significant human impact on climate.

Earth System Science (ESS)

Studies Earth as a single, interconnected system.

Geosphere

Earth's solid rock and soil components.

Hydrosphere

Includes all water bodies on Earth.

Atmosphere

Layer of gases surrounding Earth.

Biosphere

All living organisms on Earth.

Subsystems

Geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere collectively.

Forcings

External factors influencing climate changes.

Positive Feedbacks

Amplifying effects from climate interactions.

Negative Feedbacks

Diminishing effects from climate interactions.

Climate Crisis

Recognition of human-induced climate change.

Human Growth Era

Period of significant human population increase.

Electricity Production

Major contributor to carbon emissions.

Transportation Emissions

Significant source of global carbon output.

Climate Predictions

Difficult due to Earth's complex systems.

Climate Change Impact

Potentially affects future generations.

Interglacial

Period between ice ages with warmer climate.

Environmental Complexity

Challenges in predicting climate system behaviors.

Climate History

Study of Earth's climate changes over time.

Mid-20th Century

Period marking significant human environmental impact.

Geosphere

All land, earth, and rock components.

Lithosphere

Another name for the geosphere.

Geological Time Scale

Time scale over millions/billions of years.

Crust

Thinnest layer of the Earth.

Biosphere

Contains all living organisms.

Hydrosphere

Subsystem containing all water forms.

Cryosphere

Part of hydrosphere containing ice.

Troposphere

Lowest atmospheric layer, extends 7 miles.

Stratosphere

Contains the ozone layer.

Greenhouse Effect

Trapping of heat by greenhouse gases.

Forcings

Causes of natural climate change.

Milankovitch Cycles

Earth's movement affects solar energy distribution.

Positive Feedback

Forcing and effect both increase heating.

Negative Feedback

Forcing leads to cooling effect.

Carbon Cycle

Movement of carbon through Earth's systems.

Thermal Constitution

Temperature distribution within Earth's subsystems.

Volcanic Eruptions

Release dust and aerosols affecting climate.

Aerosols

Particles that can cool the Earth.

Tipping Point

Point of no return in climate change.

Set Point

Original stable parameter before change.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Water Vapor

Most abundant greenhouse gas.

Carbon Dioxide

Major greenhouse gas from fossil fuels.

Methane

Powerful greenhouse gas from organic sources.

Solar Energy

Main energy source driving Earth's climate.

Climate System

Open system influenced by solar energy.

Ecosystem Changes

Alterations in local environments due to factors.

Polar Vortex

Swirl of cold air at Earth's poles.

Archive

Repository of documents for historical examination.

Historical Climatology

Study of climate history through historical records.

Archives of Nature

Natural records of climate change over time.

Proxy

Natural feature providing past climate information.

Ice Core Drilling

Process of extracting ice cores from glaciers.

Dendrochronology

Study of tree rings to determine climate history.

Sedimentation

Layered deposits indicating past environmental conditions.

Coral Sampling

Method to analyze coral for historical temperature data.

Thermometer

First instrument for measuring temperature, created in 1714.

Instrument Records

Precise climate data recorded over short time spans.

Narrative Records

Descriptive accounts of weather from historical observations.

Weather Diaries

Personal records detailing daily weather conditions.

Highwater Mark

Physical evidence showing past water levels.

Grain Prices

Economic indicator correlated with weather conditions.

Pollen Analysis

Study of pollen in sediment to infer climate.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration of temperature and weather patterns.

Climate Proxies

Indirect indicators used to estimate past climates.

Climate Data Analysis

Careful examination of climate data over time.

Glacier Growth

Indicator of historical precipitation and temperature changes.

Atmospheric Layers

Different levels of the atmosphere where temperatures are recorded.

Historical Records

Documents providing insight into past climate conditions.

Societal Archives

Human records reflecting societal climate observations.

Ice Layer Changes

Variations in ice layers indicating climate shifts.

Ship Logbooks

Maritime records containing weather observations.

Exceptional Occurrences

Notable weather events documented in historical records.

Climate Measurement Limitations

Challenges in accurately recording historical climate data.

Scholarly Field

Group of scholars sharing study practices.

Historical Climatology

Studies past climates before the 1800s.

Paleoclimatology

Analyzes climate data from natural archives.

Climate History

Examines societal archives for climate analysis.

HCS (History of Climate and Society)

New field connecting climate and societal studies.

Christian Pfister

Pioneer of climate history studies.

Dagomar Degroot

Expanded the field of HCS.

Great Acceleration

Population growth surge around 1950.

Anthropocene

Proposed era highlighting human impact on Earth.

Holocene

Current geological epoch since 11,700 years ago.

Pleistocene

Era before Holocene, started 2.58 million years ago.

Anthropocene Working Group (AWG)

Experts proposing Anthropocene as a new era.

Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS)

Part of ICS focusing on Quaternary period.

International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS)

Organization overseeing geological time classifications.

Causal Relationships

Connections between climate changes and societal impacts.

Scale of Analysis

Focus on city, region, continent, or globe.

Chronological Scale

Temporal focus on historical events and changes.

Fossil Fuels

Main contributors to recent climate change.