Scientists Reaffirm Incontrovertible Evidence of Human Climate Impact
A new scientific review confirms that evidence for human-caused climate change is now incontrovertible, citing three decades of data. Researchers emphasize that human influence is detectable throughout the climate system and poses increasing risks to global societies.
Why it matters
This reinforces the scientific consensus on climate change, providing a foundation for future policy decisions regarding greenhouse gas emissions.
Cars driving past steaming smokestacks, both human activities that introduce greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. A new review summarizes over three decades of "incontrovertible" evidence for human influence on global climate. Credit: Jacek Dylag on Unsplash .
Prof Santer and colleagues - from UEA, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Colorado State University and the University of Edinburgh - say fingerprinting techniques have evolved to the point where human influence can now be identified throughout Earth's climate system and is "increasingly affecting the ability of societies and ecosystems to thrive".
They note that in addition to advances in climate fingerprinting, global warming has also advanced: the post-2009 period included the 10 warmest years in instrumental surface temperature records, enhancing the signal of human-caused warming relative to the 'noise' of natural variability.
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