http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/30/era-of-climate-stability-end Copenhagen: The era of climate stability is coming to an end
After 400 generations of stable weather, the world is on the brink of violent climate change. But there is good news too
Fred Pearce
The Guardian, Monday 30 November 2009
For about 10,000 years, our climate on Earth has been stable. Remarkably stable, in fact. Since the end of the last ice age, we humans have spent 400 generations taking advantage of this stability to build our civilisation.
We have had warm periods and little ice ages; but the changes have been small. We have always known pretty much when it will rain, what the temperature will be each summer and winter, and how high the rivers will flow.
This benign climate is arguably the main reason why our species has been able to progress. Why, within 400 generations, we have gone from the scattered tribes of spear-carriers and fire-raisers who emerged from their caves at the end of the ice age to become the first farmers, metallurgists, urbanists, industrialists and now the seven billion inhabitants of a digitised, globalised world.
Our massively complex society relies on the ability to plant crops knowing that they will grow, and build cities and infrastructure in places that won't be flooded by incoming tides or washed away by torrential rains.
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