Abrupt climate change and collapse of ancient civilizations at 2200BC-2000BC

Plentiful evidence of historical, archaeological and palaeoclimatic studies proved that an abrupt change from wetter to drier climate occurred over the Nile Valley, the Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley and Huanghe River Valley at 2200BC-2000BC. The abrupt change was developed based on the general lowering of temperature in the middle latitudes, and was a strong cold event since the beginning of the Megathermal (8.5-3.0 kaBP). Collapse of Nile civilization appeared at the First Intermediate Period (2181BC-2040BC). Civilization of Mesopotamia began collapse following the disintegration of Akkadian Empire. This process lasted to the foundation of Babylon Kingdom from 2200BC to 1900BC. Indus civilization abruptly fell off at 1800BC. A widespread alternation of archaeological cultures happened in China at ca. 2000BC except only in its central part. Longsheng culture was replaced by the Erlitou culture, which is now acknowledged in China as Xia Culture. Foundation of Xia Dynasty at 2070BC opened a new chapter in the development of Chinese civilization. Studies indicated that abrupt climate change may be caused by the weakening of the Thermohaline Circulation (THC).     

温盐环流对气候突变的影响

由于全球气候变暖的一个负反馈机制——温盐环流的存在,使得气候在变暖过程中有可能出现突然变冷事件．地质历史时期气候突变事件的研究表明：这种潜在的突然变冷事件可能会持续几百年甚至上千年．加强对温盐环流强度变化的监测研究对于预测未来的气候变化,制定防灾减灾措施具有重要意义．     

Melt-Water-Pulse （MWP） events and abrupt climate change of the last deglaciation

The last deglaciation is characterized by massive ice sheet melting, which results in an average sea-level rise of -120-140m. At least three major Melt-Water-Pulse （MWP） events （19ka-MWP, MWP-1A and MWP-1B） are recognizable for the last deglaciation, of which MWP-1A event lasting from -14.2 to -13.7 ka B.P. is of the most significance. However, the accurate timing and source of MWP-1A event remain debatable and controversial. It has long been postulated that meltwater of the last deglaciaUon pouring into the North Atlantic resulted in a slowdown or even a shutdown of the thermohaline circulation （THC） which subsequently affected the global climate change. Accordingly, the focus of this debate consists in establishing a reasonable relationship between MWP events and abrupt climate change. Here we summarize a variety of geological and model results for the last deglaciation, reaching a conclusion that the major MWP events did not correspond with the rigorous stadials, nor always happened within climate reversal intervals. MWP events of the last deglaciation had very weak influences on the intensity of the THC and were not able to trigger a collapse of the global climate. We need to reevaluate the influences of the temporal meltwater variability on the global climate system.     

Retrospect and prospect: advances and future strategies in climate research

A brief review of the progress in climate research and a prospect on its further development in the 21st century is presented. Some key findings including the concept of climate system, the discovery of climatic multi-equilibrium and abrupt climate changes, and the recognition of human activities as an important force of climate change made breakthroughs in climatology possible during last few decades. The adaptation to climatic and global change emerged as a new aspect of climatic research during the 1990s. Climate research will break through in the observation of the global system, in the analysis of mass data, in the deepening of research on the mechanism of climatic change, and in the improvement of models. In the applied fields of climate research, there will be substantial progress in the research on adaptation to global change and sustainable development, on orderly human activities, and climate modification.     

适应气候变化技术识别标准研究

 适应气候变化是现阶段应对气候变化行动的重要举措。适应气候变化技术的识别标准是编制适应气候变化清单的基础, 是适应气候变化方法学的重要组成部分。本研究通过对气候变化及其影响进行分析, 明确人类所面对的气候变化问题的内涵;结合适应技术定义, 确立适应气候变化技术核心识别标准是气候变化问题的针对性, 其关键在于将技术的适应方面与常规方面区分开来。另一方面, 对比分析适应技术与减缓技术, 明确有效区分技术的减缓效果与适应效果是适应气候变化技术识别的重要标准。依托识别标准, 不但可以对不同领域、不同地域已有的适应技术进行识别筛选, 也可为未来适应气候变化技术研发提供指导, 为适应气候变化技术体系构建奠定基础。     

酒泉市50a气候变化特征及突变分析

利用酒泉市所属6个站点1959—2008年的气温和降水资料,采用滑动平均、趋势分析和Mann-Kendall等方法,分析该地区的气候变化的特征.结果表明:在全球变暖背景下,酒泉市的气温突变明显,而降水突变不明显.50a中,酒泉市年平均气温和各个季节的平均气温呈显著变暖趋势,其中90年代中后期的年平均气温发生了突变,酒泉市东部的突变年份早于西部;酒泉市年降水量呈微弱增长趋势,酒泉市东部的增长幅度略小于西部.这表明,气候突变在酒泉市不同的地区会有不同的体现,突变时间不同步.     

2022年气候变化与治理热点回眸

回顾了2022年全球气候变化与治理领域取得的系列令人瞩目的成果。介绍了2022年全球温度持续升高、温室气体浓度创新高、海冰范围缩小及海平面上升等气候变化科学共识;“三重”拉尼娜重现、南亚高温洪水、欧洲及中国高温干旱等极端天气气候事件;全球碳减排承诺、多灾种预警系统、IPCC第六次评估报告（AR6）、第27届联合国气候变化大会（COP27）、生物多样性大会（COP15）等全球气候变化治理与认知方面的最新进展。     

Global warming： Take action or wait？

Of all the changes wrought by human activity, the buildup in our atmosphere of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, has gener- ated the most contentious debate. Environmentalists warn that in the absence of firm action, over th…     

苔藓植物对气候变化的响应研究进展

由于具有特殊的形态和生理特征,苔藓植物对环境污染和气候变化的反应十分敏感。本文从生态、生理和生长特征等方面综述了苔藓植物对气候变化的响应特征,以期促进苔藓植物对气候变化的响应研究。     

Abrupt variations of the radiolarian fauna at Mid-Pleistocene climate transition in the South China Sea

Based on a detailed study of the radiolarian fauna, the abundance pattern of planktic foraminifera as well as on isotope and sedimentological records, the Mid-Pleistocene climate transition as a multiple transition phenomenon could be recognized at Core 17957-2 from the South China Sea. Distinct changes in the radiolarian/foraminfera ratio, the coarse fraction and the radiolarian assemblages can be related to the global climate cooling observed at the Mid-Pleistocene revolution (MPR) around 900 ka. A pronounced southward shift of the North Equatorial Current that leads to lower sea-surface temperatures in the South China Sea is documented by the shift of tropical to subtropical radiolarian assemblages at 900 ka. Increasing radiolarian abundance after the MPR can be interpreted as a result of stronger upwelling and nutrient supply. These abrupt variations could result from the northern trade wind system and East Asian monsoon circulation.