Miall, Andrew D.

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University of New Brunswick: Centre for Digital Scholarship Journals

32NEW SERIESThe Geoscience of Climateand Energy: An Introduc-tionAndrew D. MiallDepartment of  GeologyUniversity of  TorontoToronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B1E-mail: miall@geology.utoronto.caThis new series in Geoscience Canadafocuses on the science presented at theGussow–Nuna conference on theGeoscience of  Climate Change, held atthe Banff  Centre, Alberta, 20–22October, 2008. The two and one-halfday conference consisted of  invitedoral presentations,  followed by a one-day field trip to examine the record ofHolocene climate change in the Banff–Calgary area.  The two major objec-tives of  the conference were, i) tothoroughly explore the record of  cli-mate change through the last few mil-lion years of  Earth history and worktoward a better understanding of  whatit tells us about the dynamics of  theclimate system, and ii) to review thestate of  energy supply, energy sustain-ability, and energy alternatives. Authorsprepared extended, illustrated abstractsof  their presentations, and this serieshas developed from these abstracts,which, in most cases, have beenexpanded and updated.The history of  Earth’s climateis one of  continual change. Many natu-ral processes contribute to this change,including i) long-term forcing relatedto the movement and elevation of  theEarth’s continental plates, ii) changes inthe amount and distribution of  solarradiation received by the Earth, drivenby regular changes in the earth’s orbitand the sun’s activity, and iii) climaticmodulations driven by periodic oscilla-tions in the pattern of  oceanic andatmospheric currents. There is a global consensusamongst most scientists that the cli-mate is now also being forced by theanthropogenic addition of  greenhousegases to the atmosphere. The level ofcarbon dioxide in our atmosphere isnow greater than at any time in thepast 800 000 years. However, the bal-ance of  forces that are driving currentchanges in climate remains unclear.One of  the most importantways to evaluate current models of  cli-mate change is to thoroughly explorethe record of  change through the lastfew million years of  Earth history. Toexamine this record and work toward abetter understanding of  what it tells usabout the dynamics of  the climate sys-tem, at all space and time scales, is anexercise for the geosciences, and wasthe first of  the two conference objec-tives. There is a rich record of  paleocli-matic variability and an array of  tech-niques for evaluating climate history,including the study of  landscapes, sedi-mentary rocks, soils and paleosols,palynology, cave deposits, marine sedi-ment cores, ice cores, and otherrecords. Only by working from such anunderstanding can we reliably evaluatethe contribution being made to climatechange by anthropogenic processes.The major cause of  green-house gas increases is the combustionof  fossil fuels, and there is an increas-ing realization that means must befound to increase the efficiencies inour use of  fossil fuels to bring aboutsubstantial net reductions in their usein the coming decades. This presents atwo-part problem: worldwide econom-ic growth is increasing rather thanreducing the use of  fossil fuels, leadingto an accelerating depletion of  theseresources, and many experts predict adecline in the availability of  inexpen-sive oil, natural gas and coal within theforeseeable future. Similar problemsare emerging with the other crucialnatural resource: water. Impendingshortages, therefore, constitute a sec-ond equally important reason forreducing the use of  fossil fuels; hence,the second major objective of  this con-ference was to review the state of  thefossil fuel supply, to discuss energysustainability, and to examine energyalternatives and some possible techni-cal solutions.Thanks are due to the twotechnical advisors for the conference,W.F. Ruddiman and W.R. Peltier, fortheir invaluable assistance in develop-ing the technical program. Shauna Car-son, assisted by Tanya Santry, conven-tion staff  with the Canadian Society ofPetroleum Geologists, was responsiblefor all conference arrangements. Theconference was also sponsored by theCanadian Federation of  Earth Scien-tists, the Geological Association ofCanada, and the Royal Society ofCanada. As General Chair of  the con-ference, I am very grateful to LynAnglin, Steve Grasby, ElisabethKosters, Jeff  Packard, and Ian Young,for their advice and suggestions.

The Geoscience of Climate and Energy: An Introduction

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The Geoscience of Climate and Energy: An Introduction

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