Climate Scientists

The earth’s climate has been studied ever since the ancient Greeks proposed theories about why and how climatological conditions had changed in a certain geographic area over an extended period of time. They also hypothesized that one could influence the temperature and the amount of rain by cutting down or planting trees. But the scientific study of the earth’s climate truly began as a result of the large-scale burning of fossil fuels for manufacturing that began with the Industrial Revolution (around 1760). In 1896, the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius proposed that the burning of fossil fuels such as coal would increase the planet’s average temperature, and conducted research to support his theory. However, his theories were discounted for many years. It was not until the 1930s that scientists were able to prove that the earth was warming. Yet, scientists and elected officials continued to disagree about what caused this warming—and what it’s effects would be on the planet. The environmental movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s prompted climate change to be taken more seriously. Climate scientists began using supercomputers that confirmed that the climate was warming substantially because of the greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil fuels. In 1988, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a sub-body of the United Nations, was created to provide policymakers with research regarding the effects of human-induced climate change. Many climate scientists published research studies that were used by the panel, other organizations, and governments to establish policies to reduce global warming. With each passing decade, the work of climate scientists has reinforced the dangers of global warming and shed new light on its causes and long-term effects. Climate scientists also play a major role in conducting research to develop strategies to reduce global warming.