What Does History Tell Us About Climate Change

Posted on July 21, 2008

As we contend with High Priest Al Gore and his rantings about man’s contribution to the greenhouse effect through our use of fossil fuels, we should probably take a look at history. We know that the island known as Greenland is covered by a glacier and not very green. We also know that Greenland got its name from the Vikings who settled there during a period known as the Medieval Optimum or the Medieval Warm Period. The Medieval Optimum occurred between approximately 900 – 1300 AD and marked a substantial period of sustained warming far above what we are experiencing today as evident in the following graphic.

Source – Joseph D’Aleo, Certified Consultant Meteorologist and Executive Director of ICECAP

D’Aleo says about Greenland in particular:

Temperatures in Greenland were actually colder in the 1980s and early 1990s than anytime since the 1800s.

In late 1990s, when the Atlantic warmed, temperatures rose, but have not yet reached the peak set in 1930s and 1940s.

Icecap depth is increasing in the interior but now eroding in some areas near the edges as they did 70 years ago, but not due to global warming, just natural cycles in the Atlantic

This brings up the subject illustrated in the graphic, not only was Greenland colder in the 80s and 90s it was warm enough during the Medieval Optimum to farm the land which is now covered by a glacier. Hence the reason why it is called GREENland.

Read More and Comment (and get a better look at the graphic)at Gribbit’s Word

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