Global Warnimg Question 2 - When did warming begin?

Question

When did the current warming trend begin?

This is the second question of a series on global warming. Answers must be responsive and supported by scientific data sources. The first correct or best answer will get 10 points. Non responsive answers will recieve negative feed back.

Answer 1

The current natural warming trend began approximately 18,000 years ago and for the next 7,500 years temperatures rose by 7 or 8 degrees Celsius - this is what brought about the last glacial retreat (often (incorrectly) referred to as the end of the last ice age). Then for the next 10,000 years temperatures rose by a further 1 degree - most of the time they actually fell slightly but the overall change was one of warming.

The current rapid increase in temperatures that is being attributed to human (anthropogenic) causes can be traced back to the start of industrialisation in the mid to late 1700's. Interestingly, it didn't take long from the onset of industrialisation for the scientists to begin to notice global warming and the first documented evidence of this can be traced back to 1811.

During the Middle Ages there was a short natural cooling known as the Little Ice Age, this ended in the 1600's.

So there's 3 answers to your question - the current warming trend began 18,000 years ago, the most recent trend within the larger one began about 400 years ago and the human contribution began about 200 years ago.

A good source for reliable information is Global Warming Art - http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Temperature_Gallery

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Just to add regarding question 1 - the answer is correct, the source may not be ideal. A better source is direct from GISS (NASA) which you can find here - http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/tabledata/GLB.Ts.txt it's regularly updated but is in spreadsheet format

Answer 2

I am Iniapiat, so global warming and cooling are relative to when the arctic was tropical (as per our story's say like so).started after the acidic ocean began cleanseing (a millenium for sure) and cold ice age's, (to us eskimo's normal) and then the current rise as per the scientific report's started strongly after Watt's steam invention created the first gigatonne of monoxide sulphur's dioxide's, and many other toxic gas in 1700-1800. (eskimo legend say's arctic will return to tropical climate in my grandchildren's lifetime (2100 a.d.). Glad I won't be here. wnw