A Brief History of Climate Change Discoveries

50 Years of Research and Innovation

• Over 50 years of research has contributed to understanding and mitigating climate change.
• Included are key discoveries from proving global temperature rise to advanced climate modeling.
• Stories and profiles on key players are available on the 'Responding to Climate Change' page.

Key Discoveries in Climate Change Research

1938: Proof of Global Temperature Rise

• Guy Callendar, an amateur scientist, documented a 0.3°C rise over 50 years using records from 147 weather stations.
• Linked temperature rise to CO2 emissions but initially ignored by the scientific community.
• Callendar’s estimates align closely with modern data.

1954: Invention of the Solar Cell

• Bell Labs developed the first practical solar cell to power telephones in remote areas.
• Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson improved efficiency using silicon, achieving 6% conversion.

1958: Rising CO2 Levels

• Charles David Keeling provided the first proof of rising CO2 levels linked to fossil fuel usage.
• Keeling Curve shows continuous CO2 concentration records from Mauna Loa Observatory.

1967: Early Climate Modeling

• Syukuro Manabe and Richard Wetherald developed the first computer model predicting a 2°C rise with doubled CO2 levels.
• Confirmed with subsequent temperature and CO2 rise data.

1968: Melting Ice Caps Prediction

• Dr. John Mercer warned Antarctic ice sheets could collapse due to global warming, leading to sea-level rise.

1969: Satellite Temperature Measurements

• NASA’s Nimbus III provided the first accurate global atmospheric temperature measurements from space.

1985: Ice Core and Ozone Hole Discoveries

• Antarctic ice cores showed historical CO2 and temperature interrelations over 150,000 years.
• Discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole led to regulations on CFCs.

1985: Lithium-Ion Battery

• Akira Yoshino developed safer, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, revolutionizing energy storage.

1988: Formation of IPCC

• The IPCC was established, providing crucial climate change assessments and supporting international climate policy.

1991: Expansion of Wind Power

• First UK wind farm in Cornwall, leading to the UK becoming a leader in offshore wind energy.

1992: Ocean Acidification

• Studies showed increased ocean acidity due to CO2 threatens marine life like corals.

1994: First Climate Change Legislation

• The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was the first treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

1996: Carbon Capture Begins

• The Sleipner field in the North Sea started the first commercial CO2 storage project.

1997: Hybrid Cars Developed

• Toyota Prius, the first mass-market hybrid car, marking a shift towards electric vehicles.

2003: Climate Change and Extreme Weather

• Research confirmed the link between climate change and increased extreme weather events.

2007: Arctic Warming

• Discovery that Arctic regions are warming twice as fast as the rest of the Earth.

2008: UK Climate Change Act

• UK committed to legally binding emissions reductions, aiming for 80% reduction by 2050.

2015: Paris Agreement

• Global commitment to limit warming to below 2°C from pre-industrial levels.

2019: Irreversible Ice Collapse

• IPCC warns of potential irreversible collapse of ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland.

2020: Solar Power Breakthrough

• Oxford PV set a solar energy conversion efficiency record using perovskite-coated cells.

2021: Climate Change Irreversibility

• IPCC warns reaching 1.5°C warming is likely by 2040, with irreversible impacts.

Conclusion

• Climate change is a pressing global issue with significant research and innovation investments.
• The UK is at the forefront of efforts to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050, with ongoing projects in green technology and sustainability.