A Brief History of Climate Change

1827 GREENHOUSE EFFECT: Jean-Baptiste Fourier suggests the existence of an atmospheric effect keeping the earth warmer than it would otherwise be. He uses the analogy of a greenhouse.

 

1896 GLOBAL WARMING: Arrhenius, a Swedish chemist, advances the theory that carbon dioxide emissions from combustion of coal would enhance the earth's greenhouse effect and lead to global warming.

 

1967 GLOBAL TEMPERATURE WARNING: the first reliable computer simulation calculates that global average temperature may increase by more than 4^oC when the atmospheric carbon dioxide level reaches double that of pre-industrial times.

 

1987 ICE-CORE EVIDENCE: An ice core from Antarctica analysed by French and Russian scientists reveals an extremely close correlation between carbon dioxide levels and temperatures going back more than 100,000 years.

 

1992 CLIMATE CHANGE AT RIO EARTH SUMMIT:The Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCC), signed by 154 nations in Rio de Janeiro, agrees to prevent ‘dangerous' warming from greenhouse gases and sets initial target of reducing emissions from industrialised countries to 1990 levels by the year 2000. President George Bush (Senior) signs on behalf of the United States.

 

2001 KYOTO PROTOCOL: The Kyoto Protocol agrees legally binding emissions cuts for industrialised nations, averaging 5.5%, to be met by 2010.

 

2005 KYOTO PROTOCOL SIGNED: On 27 July, 178 countries give life to the Kyoto Protocol.

 

KYOTO PROTOCOL RATIFIED: 16 February. On the 90th day after at least 55 Parties to the Convention (responsible for at least 55% of the total carbon dioxide emissions for 1990) deposited their instruments for ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, the Kyoto Protocol came into force.