Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Towards a History of Ideas on Anthropogenic Climate Change

  • Chapter
Climate Development and History of the North Atlantic Realm

Abstract

In this essay we show that the notion of anthropogenic climate change is not novel. Concerns about transformations of the Earth’s climate by human activities have been expressed since the 18th century Enlightenment and earlier. It Is reasonable, therefore, to speak of a”history of anthropogenic climate changes”. Most of the instances were not “real”. But all cases were associated with the perception of significant discontinuities and in most instances the perceived change was seen as a threat to society. We briefly discuss the possible implications of this “history” for the functioning of the scientific community in the present debate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aagard, K., Coachman LK (1975) Toward an ice-free Arctic Ocean. EOS 56:484–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arrhenius SA (1903) Lehrbuch der kosmischen Physik. Volume 2, Leipzig: S. Hirzel

    Google Scholar 

  • Arrhenius SA (1896) On the influence of carbonic acid in the air upon the temperature of the ground. Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science 41:237–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakan S, Chlond A, Cubasch U, Feichter J, Graf H, Grassl H, Hasselmann K, Kirchner I, Latif M, Roeckner E, Sausen R, Schlese U, Schriever D, Schult I, Schumann U, Sielmann F, Welke W (1991) Climate response to smoke from the burning oil wells in Kuwait. Nature 351:367–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Behringer W (1998) Hexen. Glaube — Verfolgung — Vermarktung. C.H. Beck Wissen, pp 1–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray D, Von Storch H (1999) Climate Science and the transfer of knowledge to public and political realms. In: Von Storch H, Flöser G (eds) Anthropogenic Climate Change, Springer Verlag, pp 287–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray D, Von Storch H (1999) Climate Science. An empirical example of postnormal science. Bull Amer Met Soc 80: 439–456

    Google Scholar 

  • Brückner E (1890) Klimaschwankungen seit 1700 nebst Bemerkungen über die Klimaschwankungen der Diluvialzeit.Geographische Abhandlungen herausgegeben von Prof. Dr. Albrecht Penck in Wien; Wien and Olmütz, Hölzel ED, pp 1–325. (engl. Translation in: Stehr N, Von Storch H (eds) (2000) Eduard Brückner — The Sources and Consequences of Climate Change and Climate Variability in Historical Times. Kluwer Publisher, pp 1–3 3 8)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cahalan R (1992) Kuwait Oil Fires as seen by Landsat. J Geophys Res 97:14565–1457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Callendar GS (1938) The artificial production of carbon dioxide and its influence on temperature. Q J Roy Met Soc 64:223–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cattle H (1985) Diverting Soviet rivers: some possible repercussions for the Artic Ocean. Polar Record 22:485–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Copeland JH, Pielke RA, Kittel TGF (1996) Potential climatic impacts of vegetation change: a regional modeling study. J Geophys Res 101, D3, 7409–7418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cotton W, Pielke RA (1995) Human impacts on weather and climate, Cambridge University Press, pp 1–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Deutscher Bundestag (1988) Schutz der Erdatmosphäre: Eine internationale Herausforderung. Deutscher Bundestag, Referat Öffentlichkeitarbeit, Bonn

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap RE, Gallup GH Jr., Gallup AM (1993) Health of the Planet: A George H. Gallup Memorial Survey Gallup International Institute Princeton, New Jersey, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Flohn H (1941) Die Tätigkeit des Menschen als Klimafaktor. Z Erdkunde 9:13–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Funtowicz SO and JR Ravetz (1985) Three types of risk assessment: a methodological analysis. In: Whipple C, Covello VT (eds) Risk Analysis in the Private Sector, New York, Plenum, pp 217–231

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Glacken CJ (1967) Traces on the Rhodian Shore. University of California Press, pp 1–763

    Google Scholar 

  • Grove RH (1975) Green Imperialism. Expansion, Tropical Islands Edens and the Origins of Environmentalism 1600–1860. Cambridge University Press, pp 1–540

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton JL, Jenkins GJ, Ephraums JJ (eds) (1990) Climate Change. The IPCC scientific assessment. Cambridge University Press, pp 1–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton JT, Callander BA, Varney SK (eds) (1992) Climate Change 1992. Cambridge University Press, pp 1–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton JT, Meira Filho Callander BA, Harris N, Kattenberg A, Maskell K (eds) (1996) Climate Change 1995. The Science of Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, pp 1–572

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson RG (1997) Climate control requires a dam at the Strait of Gibraltar, EOS 27:277, 280–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Kempton W, Boster JS, Hartley JA (1995) Environmental values in American Culture. MIT Press, Cambridge MA and London, pp 1–320

    Google Scholar 

  • Kincer JB (1933) Is our climate changing? A study of long-term temperature trends. Mon Wea Rev 61:51259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamb HH (1982) Climate, history and the modern world. Methuen Co. London, pp 1–433

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lemke P (1987) A coupled one-dimensional sea iceocean model. J Geophys Res 92 (C12), 13,164–13,172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manabe S, Stouffer RJ (1996) Low frequency variability of surface air temperature in a 1000 year integration of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model. J Climate 9:376–393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Micklin PP (1981) A preliminary system analysis of impacts of proposed Soviet river diversions on Artic sea ice. EOS 62:89–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan MG, Keith DW (1995) Subjective judgements by climate experts. Environmental Science and Technology 29:68A–476A

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponte L (1976) The Cooling. Prentice-Hall Inc. Englewood Cliffs., NY, pp 1–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahmstorf S (1995) Multiple convection patterns and thermohaline flow in an idealised OGCM. J Climate 8:028–3039

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmstorf S (1997) Risk of sea-change in the Atlantic. Nature 388:25–826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmstorf S (1998) Influence of Mediterranean outflow on climate. EOS 79, 281–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasool SI, Schneider SH (1971) Atmospheric carbon dioxide and aerosols: Effects of large increases on global climate. Science 173:138–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sausen R, Schumann U (1998) Estimates of the climate response to aircraft emission scenarios. Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre 95, DLR, pp 1–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Semtner AJ (1984) The climatic response of the Artic Ocean to Soviet river diversions. Climatic Change 6:109–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stehr N, Von Storch H (1995) The social construct of climate and climate change. Clim Res 5:99–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stehr N, Von Storch H, Flügel M (1996) The 19th century discussion of climate variability and climate change: analogies for present day debate? World Res Rev 7: 589–604

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Storch J-S, Kharin V, Cubasch U, Hegerl G, Schnur R, Schriever D, Von Storch H, Zorita E, 1997: A 1260 year control integration with a coupled general circulation model. J Climate 10, 1526–1544

    Google Scholar 

  • Wanner H, Pfister C, Brádzil R, Frich P, Frydendahl K, Jonsson T, Kington J, Lamb HH, Rosenørn S, Wishman E (1995) Wintertime European circulation patterns du ring the late Maunder Minimum cooling period (1675–1704). Theor Appl Climatol 51:167–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson H (1770) An attempt to account for the change of climate, which has been observed in the Middle Colonies in North America. Trans Amer Phil Soc 1, 272

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Coastal Research, GKSS Research Center, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, D-21502, Geesthacht, Germany

    Hans von Storch

  2. Sustainable Development Research Institute, The University of British Columbia, 6201 Cecil Green Park Road, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada

    Nico Stehr

Authors
  1. Hans von Storch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nico Stehr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hans von Storch .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße 2, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Gerold Wefer

  2. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Geological Research Division, University of California, 92093-0215, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Wolfgang H. Berger

  3. Niedersächsisches Institut für historische Küstenforschung, Viktoriastraße 26/28, 26483, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

    Karl-Ernst Behre

  4. University of Bergen, Department of Geology, Allégaten 41, 5007, Bergen, Norway

    Eystein Jansen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

von Storch, H., Stehr, N. (2002). Towards a History of Ideas on Anthropogenic Climate Change. In: Wefer, G., Berger, W.H., Behre, KE., Jansen, E. (eds) Climate Development and History of the North Atlantic Realm. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04965-5_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-04965-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-07744-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-04965-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation