Climate change has been around for hundreds of thousands of years. During that time, many scientists have made observations and proposed theories to explain the climate and why it has been changing. While there is no single person who can be credited with the discovery of climate change, here is a look at some of the key figures in its study and how their work has helped shape our understanding. So, who discovered climate change?
Table of Contents
Joseph Fourier’s Discoveries
One of the earliest scientists to propose that the atmosphere could have an effect on global temperatures was the mathematician Joseph Fourier. In 1824, he published a paper in which he theorized that Earth’s atmosphere could absorb and store energy from the sun, and therefore raise the global temperature. This became known as the ‘Fourier Effect,’ and is still considered a key factor in climate change today.
Eduard Suess and Climate Change
In the late 1800s, geologist Eduard Suess proposed the idea of a “supercontinent” called Gondwana that encompassed much of the southern hemisphere. He argued that the formation of Gondwana had an effect on the ocean currents, wind patterns, and climate. His theory linked this geological phenomenon to changes in the atmosphere, leading to the idea that Earth has an interconnected system of global climate conditions.
Svante Arrhenius Discovered Fossil Fuels
In 1896, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius proposed that burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, would release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This increased carbon dioxide could act like a blanket in the atmosphere and trap heat, resulting in a rise in global temperatures. This became known as the “Arrhenius Effect” and is still considered one of the key factors in climate change today.
Guy Callendar’s Climate Records
In the 1930s, British engineer Guy Callendar studied past climate records and weather data to chart out the global temperature changes over time and answer the question “why is the world getting hotter?“. He found that the average global temperatures had been increasing steadily since the late 1800s. This evidence convinced many scientists of the reality of climate change, and enabled them to build upon previous research to further understand the issue.
Who is Roger Revelle?
In 1957, American oceanographer Roger Revelle joined the list of who discovered climate change when he poured a great deal of research into Earth’s rising average temperature and the potential effects of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions. He was one of the first to suggest that humanity had the ability to change the climate by releasing more and more carbon into the atmosphere. His work went on to influence the great majority of current climate science studies.
James Hansen’s Contribution to Climate Change Science
In 1988, climate scientist James Hansen released a seminal paper that firmly established the link between human activity and global climate change. He predicted that if the trend of increasing emissions continued, the world could see a dramatic rise in global temperature in just a few decades. This prediction was met with shock and awe, and helped spur a wave of climate change research that is still ongoing today.
Conclusion
The discovery of climate change was the culmination of hundreds of years of scientific research and observation. Scientists such as Joseph Fourier, Eduard Suess, Svante Arrhenius, Guy Callendar, Roger Revelle, and James Hansen all helped to shape the modern understanding of climate change. Their work provided an evidence-based foundation on which the science of climate change continues to be studied and advanced today.
So, while there isn’t one single person who can be credited with the discovery of climate change, their collective work has made it a widely accepted scientific fact.