Climate warming is global and fast, say Swiss experts
Swiss scientists have discounted allegations that the current climate change is a recurring phenomenon in the history of mankind.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/urs
A team of researchers from the Swiss university of Bern gathered evidence showing that the previous periods of rising and dropping temperatures from the 14th to the 19th century were limited in space and not a global occurrence.
The statement was published in a press release by Bern UniversityExternal link on Wednesday. It is based on two separate studies in the British science journal, NatureExternal link and in a supplementary publication, Nature Geoscience.
Faster than ever
“In contrast to pre-industrial climate fluctuations, current anthropological climate change is occurring across the whole world at the same time. In addition, the speed of global warming is higher than it has been in at least 2,000 years,” the university said in its release.
“Regional climates in pre-industrial times were primarily influenced by random fluctuations within the climate systems themselves. External factors such as volcanic eruptions or solar activity were not intense enough to cause markedly warm or cold temperatures across the whole world for decades, or even centuries,” according to the researchers.
In contrast, the two new studies show that the latest warming beginning in the 20th century has covered 98% of the Earth’s surface and is most likely the warmest period of the last 2,000 years.
“This shows – once again – that modern climate change cannot be explained by random fluctuations, but by anthropogenic emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases,” the scientists conclude.
The authors of the report say that the lowest temperatures during the Little Ice Age were recorded in the central and eastern Pacific regions in the 15th century. Later the cold shifted to north-western Europe and to the south-east on the North American continent.
The findings on the five pre-industrial climate periods are based on data from the international research consortium Past Global ChangesExternal link, which provides an overview of climate data from the last 2,000 years.
The consortium was set up by Swiss and United States institutions in 1991.
More
More
Climate sceptics’ arguments, debunked
This content was published on
Melting glaciers, air pollution, youth activism: videos about climate change get some quite sceptical feedback.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
This content was published on
Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
This content was published on
Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
This content was published on
In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
Switzerland invites 160 delegations to June Ukraine peace talks
This content was published on
Russia is currently not among the delegations invited to talks aimed at helping bring about peace in the conflict between Moscow and Ukraine.
Survey: air travel most popular way to go on holidays for Swiss
This content was published on
Despite the climate crisis, flying is the most popular mode of transport for private travel – particularly among young, urban and high-income travellers.
Swiss government to use phone data to identify asylum seekers
This content was published on
From April 2025, authorities plan to be able to analyse data from mobile phones, computers and other data carriers to identify asylum seekers.
Swiss fuel-related CO2 emissions remained stable in 2018
This content was published on
Despite an increase in the use of biofuels and electric vehicles, fuel-related carbon dioxide emissions remained unchanged in 2018 in the country.
Climate study warns of greenhouse gas feedback loop
This content was published on
Many current climate models could be underestimating the long-term consequences of global warming, says an international study.
This content was published on
The ozone hole over Antarctica has not made headlines for some time. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the recovery of the damaged layer is back on track since chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are practically no longer produced or consumed. However, this does not mean that ozone research has lost importance, as past reports by the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.