THE ANTHROPOCENE: DETECTION AND ATTRIBUTION OF CURRENT CLIMATE CHANGES IN A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

This course aims to provide the tools to understand the mechanisms and the past evolution of climate system as a base to interpret the more recent changes in a global perspective. The current debate on the possible introduction of a novel geological Epoch named "Anthropocene" underlines the importance of anthropic factors as drivers of climate in modern times. The comprehension of these dynamics will give to the student the ability to better comunicate, promote and participate to the global discussion about climate changes.

At the end of this course, the student will have a clear comprehension of the meaning and implications of the Anthropocene defined as a novel geological Epoch. Moreover, it is expected that the stundent will acquire the knowldege of the past climate dynamics and he/she is aware of the future scenarios provided by climatic models.

No prior background in the subject is required beyoind a general familiarity with the scientific thinking.

Definition of the Anthropocene: evidence of potential markers to be used for defining the Anthropocene Epoch as a new geological time unit. Horizons for the Holocene−Anthropocene boundary. The onset of the Anthropocene. Paleoclimate archives and proxies: overview of the scientific tools available to extract information about past climate from ancient geological/geochemical settings. The Last Glacial Maximum. Testing model simulations against biotic data. Comparison of glacial maximum climates. How cold were the glacial tropics?
Climate during and since the last deglaciation. Millennial scale climatic oscillations during glaciations and the last interglacial period. Impacts of climate on human evolution in the pre-industrial era. Climate and early farming. Sea level rise and flood legends. Early impacts of humans on climate. Climate change during the last 1,000 years. The Little Ice Age.
Proxy records of historical climate. Reconstructing hemispheric temperature trends. Proposed causes of climate change from 1000 to 1850 CE. Reconstructing sea level changes. Instrumental records and satellite observations. Sources of the recent rise in sea level internal oscillations. Natural and Anthropic causes of global warming over the last 125 years. Earth’s sensitivity to greenhouse gases. Why has the warming since 1850 been so small? Future climatic change. Future human impacts on greenhouse gases. Effects of future CO2 increase on climate and the environment.

William F. Ruddiman. Earth’s Climate: Past and Future 2nd Ed. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York. 2008.
Lecture notes, slides, scientific publications as case studies provided by the teacher.

The exam consists in an oral discussion.

Classroom lessons.

English

oral