Climate change

Shine, K. P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2672-9978 (2014) Climate change. In: Harrison, R. M. (ed.) Pollution : causes, effects and control. 5th edition. Royal Society of Chemistry, London, pp. 326-339. ISBN 9781849736480

Abstract/Summary

This chapter presents a broad overview of understanding of climate change over the past century or so, together with a discussion of some of the uncertainties. It provides a background to the developments in understanding of climate change, presents evidence that climate has changed and assesses the mechanisms that cause climate change, with a particular emphasis on those due to human activity. The concepts underlying climate modelling are introduced and results are then presented that strongly support the view that human activity has played a major role in the observed climate change over the past 50 years. Possible changes in climate over the coming century are then discussed.