Climate change expert outlines humanity’s role in speeding global warming

Climate change expert Professor Sir David Hendry will explore how humanity has accelerated global warming when he delivers the annual China Institute Li Siguang lecture at the University of Birmingham on Wednesday 20th November. And his talk 'Climate Change in the Long Run' will illustrate how climatologists, volcanologists, dendrochronologists, meteorologists, geophysicists and health scientists are working together to tackle climate change and its consequences. There are still seats available and anyone wishing to attend the lecture, which starts at 4pm, in University House, should register. The Earth's climate has varied over a huge range from frozen to very hot over geological time, driven by natural forces. During this period, most previous species of life have become extinct from the impact of that climatic variation. The talk traces the `great extinctions' and their associated major climate events, then shows that humanity can easily affect our oceans and atmosphere-and is doing so. The lecture links to the work being undertaken with Nankai University where the University of Birmingham has established a Joint Research Institute that sees experts from both universities working together on global environmental challenges.