Climate Sensitivity: Historical Climate Change Overview

This lecture provides an overview of historical climate change, focusing on the impact of methane emissions on climate. It discusses the sources and impacts of methane, emphasizing its role as a potent greenhouse gas. The lecture explains the concept of equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) and how it is derived from radiative forcing associated with CO2 concentration. It also explores the evolution of climate sensitivity estimates, highlighting the differences between climate models from different generations. The lecture delves into the methods used to constrain climate sensitivity, such as observations from paleoclimate records and emergent constraints. Additionally, it examines the influence of Earth's orbit on solar radiation and its impact on climate. The challenges and patterns related to glacials and interglacials are also discussed.