Studies in Global Dynamics Section

Occasional Papers - Climate Science



These papers were produced over a brief period in late 2006/early 2007. Each entry on the list has an active link to the URL, giving you direct access to the specific paper. Links are also provided for the Abstracts and PDFs. Finally, a link is provided to the section 'Studies in Global Dynamics' where there is also a full listing of papers under this heading.


Climate Stabilisation Positive feedbacks are now accelerating global warming and threatening to send it out of control. Stabilisation of the Climate in this complex system with long time delays now requires a strategic intervention that turns off the heat before it is too late (i.e. reduces "radiative forcing" to zero). This paper highlights the scale of the task ahead. AbstractPDF file Studies in Global Dynamics Section
Address to the Club of Rome, October 2005 This paper outlines the current context of climate change and introduces the work on Feedback Dynamics. The imperative of mobilising effective action changes the role of science from pure information provision to applied change agency. Recognition of the "State of Global Emergency" leads into an outline agenda of the scientific response. This section, the origins of the "Apollo-Gaia Project", also raises the critical question concerning an appropriate institutional locus. The address concludes with a brief reflection on the psycho-dynamics of social change. AbstractPDF file Studies in Global Dynamics Section
Feedback Dynamics and the Acceleration of Climate Change A condensed update of current scientific analysis. AbstractPDF file Studies in Global Dynamics Section
Climate Sensitivity: A Whole-Earth Dynamic Approach This brief working paper moves away from the world of computer modelling to examine the Vostok ice-core data for information that could throw new light on the issue of climate sensitivity. If the sensitivity figures indicated in this study of the Vostok data can be trusted, we face an urgent and radical re-evaluation of the current strategic response to global warming. AbstractPDF file Studies in Global Dynamics Section
Response to Dr. Malte Meinshausen whose work is currently being used as a foundation for the European response to climate change. The task faced by the global community is now the avoidance of catastrophic climate change, let alone dangerous climate change. Meinshausen severs the relationship between the goal of relating to the fundamental realities of the global climate and what he describes as "policy-goals" - determined by political, economic and other vested interests - without recourse to the fundamental science. Even within the terms of reference of the attempt to achieve "policy-goals" Meinshausen's approach is fatally flawed. The realistic problems we face in the mitigation of dangerous and catastrophic climate change are far too important to allow this kind of work to be used as a basis for policy formulation and strategic action, whether at national, European, G8 or global levels. AbstractPDF file Studies in Global Dynamics Section

Studies in Global Dynamics Section