Significance of Environmental History to Understanding of Climate Change - Coursework Example

Significance of environmental history to our understanding of climate change Introduction This essay is concerned with different ways in which environmental history enhances current understanding of the issue of climate change in the world. In the essay, a brief introduction of the subject of environmental history is given. This includes different approaches that are used in the study to understand the relationship between human beings and the environment in the course of history. This is followed by a brief introduction of the subject of climate change, its features and importance in all aspects of human life. Throughout the essay, it is argued that there are several ways in which our current knowledge about climate change is enhanced by environmental history. All these arise from the three key different approaches that are used in the subject of environmental history. Environmental history Essentially, environmental history can be defined as a discipline that seeks to record the cause and outcome of human interactions with the environment over the course of time (Hughes 2002, p. 4). Human beings, by virtue of their lives, activities and thoughts, create major impacts on their natural environment. This in turn bears different effects on their lives. It is this interaction that forms the main concern of environmental history. In attempting to provide an understanding of the impact of the interaction between human beings and the environment, environmental history is conducted using three key approaches. The first approach focuses on how different factors of the environment influence the history of human beings. In the second approach, focus is put on understanding different ways in which environmental changes caused by humanity affect them. The third approach in environmental history examines the history of human understanding of the environment and how this has shaped various actions taken in the course of history. Climate change The subject of a changing global climate has received considerable academic attention in the recent past. What is important however is the fact that global climate has been undergoing change since time immemorial (Burroughs 2001, p. 2). It is only in the recent past that there has been scientific evidence that human activities on the earth are producing a considerable amount of greenhouse gases which are accelerating the rate of climate change in the world. Rapid and uncontrolled changes to the climate will in turn have major effects on social, economic and environmental aspects of human life (Burroughs 2001, p. 3). This has been demonstrated recently in a study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which identifies significant abnormal events in the global climate in the recent past (UNEP 2009, p. 6). How environmental history helps us understand climate change There are several ways in which environmental history helps us understand climate change. The first one regards placing climate change within the right context of the history of humans and the environment. Knowledge provided by environmental history is critical in that it helps us understand the historical nature of climate change. This means that different tools of environmental history such as historical methods, documentary evidence about earlier incidents of climate change and their interpretation have provided accurate information about the nature, form and salient trends of climate change within the broad history of humanity. This has happened in several ways. For instance, historical studies have identified evidence of a rapid increase in the level of greenhouse gases emissions since the industrial revolution (National Aeronautics and Space Association 2014). Such studies, coupled with vast scientific evidence about the rapid change in the global climate, provide accurate information about the nature and trends of climate change. Additionally, since historical studies have identified different cycles of glacial advances and retreats, they help us understand the historical nature of climate change as being cyclical in nature and necessitated by changes in the earth’s orbit. Also, understanding the history of climate change is essential for effective communication of the whole subject of climate change in the current time. By understanding the historical nature of climate change, both scientific and historical facts can be used to frame the right information about climate change for the general public. This is an important way of overcoming barriers to the public understanding of climate change, top among them being the invisibility of the cause and distant nature of the impact of such a process (Moser 2010, p. 33). The third way in which historical studies of climate change help us understand climate change in an accurate historical context is by accurately portraying human understanding of the subject of climate change and the sequence of efforts to understand and address the issue. For instance, Bodansky (2001, p. 23) traces the history of climate change in recent times. Climate change is presented in the form of increasing scientific consensus about the issue, early international responses and rising global awareness. From this historical study, an accurate understanding of the historical nature of climate change is enhanced. The second major way in which environmental history enhances the current understanding of climate change is in the form of presenting accurate information on how early civilisations interacted with environmental changes. Such information, which is provided by environmental history, not only challenges our knowledge and perceptions about early responses to climate change but also enhances our understanding of the way human history interacts with changes in its environment. There are several studies that have examined early responses to climate change. For instance, Orlove (2005, p. 589), using historical, anthropological and archaeological evidence, examines how early societies responded to various incidents of widespread changes in climatic conditions. Based on case studies of three different scenarios (the ancient civilizations of Classical Maya and the Viking settlements in Greenland) as well as the case of occasional droughts in the Great Plains of the United States, it is observed that human response to climate change has varied from adaptation to mitigation (Orlove 2005, p. 596). Apart from providing information on how human societies responded to changes in climatic conditions in ancient times, environmental history also presents information on how the current human society is responding to the current issue of climate change. For instance, Brown et al. (2008, p. 4) observe that environmental history is an important aspect of saving the world. This is because by understanding the way human beings have interacted with the environment, present and future policies can be modelled in such a manner that sustainability, disaster management and efficient use of resources is ensured (Brown et al. 2008, p. 5). This implies that through environmental history, we are able to understand how human beings have responded to similar ecological changes in the past. This knowledge can be used to shape policies in such a manner that potential disasters are avoided (Griffith 2010, p. 30). Additionally, understanding the early responses to climate change ensures that our understanding of the subject is presented in a coherent and logical manner. This way, we can afford to compare and contrast our modern responses to climate change with the way early civilisations responded to incidences of climate change during their time. Lastly, environmental history helps us understand the current phenomenon of climate change better by providing knowledge about different ways in which changes in climatic conditions affected human beings. Through historical studies, we are able to understand how different episodes of changes in climatic conditions affected different aspects of human life though the course of history. Currently, there are several studies which have been carried out to evaluate different effects of climate change on different aspects of human life. For instance Both et al. (2006, p. 82), observe that current changes in climate change are responsible for significant decline in the population of long-distance migratory birds. In the same vein, Parmesan (2006, p. 641) states that although ecological changes in the number and distribution of different species is a normal evolutionary process, current changes in the climate are likely to accelerate this process to unprecedented rates. Such an effect will affect both marine and terrestrial habitats. In a different study, it was observed that the current climatic changes have both direct and indirect impacts on historical features in the world (The English Heritage 2012, p. 6). Through the effects of climate change, different features of the historical environment such as archaeological sites, buildings and landscapes may be destroyed. It can be seen that such studies, apart from being based on the current impact of climate change, do have a historical perspective of the effects of similar changes in climate on different aspects of human life. Through such studies, we are able to fully comprehend the extent and intensity of climate change on different aspects of human life. From the foregoing, it can be seen that essentially, the current understanding of climate change is shaped by knowledge accumulated throughout environmental history. Through the three key approaches used in environmental history (how environmental factors affect humans, effect of changes on these factors and human understanding of these changes), knowledge about climate change is enhanced. Conclusion In conclusion, there are several ways in which environmental history helps us understand climate change. One of them is that through environmental history, we are able to understand the way human beings have responded to environmental changes in the past. This is important not only in helping us shape our current policies on climate change but also in enabling us to compare our current responses to what was the case in the past. Another way is that through environmental history, we are able to understand climate change in the right historical context. This is so because we gain a better understanding of climate change events as a process that has been present throughout the history of humanity. Lastly, environmental history helps us understand the impact of climate change on different aspects of human life in relation to similar events in the history of humanity. Such knowledge is important in shaping our current approaches to the issue. References Bodansky, D 2001, ‘The history of the global climate change regime’, In U Luterbacher & D F Sprinz (eds), International Relations and Global Climate Change (pp. 23 – 40), The MIT Press, Massachusetts. Both, C, Bouwhuis, S, Lessells, C M & Visser, M E 2006, ‘Climate change and population declines in long-distance migratory bird’, Nature, vol. 441, pp. 81–83, viewed 29 March 2014, Brown, S, Dovers, S, Frawley, J, Gaynor, A, Goodall, H, Karskens, G & Mullins, S 2008, ‘Can environmental history save the world?’, History Australia, vol. 5, no. 1. Burroughs, W J 2001, Climate change: a multidisciplinary approach, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Griffiths, T 2010, ‘We have still not lived long enough’, Humanities Australia, vol. 1, pp. 23–32 Hughes, J D 2002, An environmental history of the world: humankind’s changing role in the community of Life, Routledge, New York. Moser, S C 2010, ‘Communicating climate change: history, challenges, processes and the future direction’, WIREs Climate Change, vol. 1, pp. 31–53, viewed 28 March 2014, http://www.susannemoser.com/documents/Moser_WIRE_2010.pdf> National Aeronautics and Space Association 2014, Evidence: climate change, how do we know? Viewed 28 March 2014, Orlove, B 2005, ‘Human adaptation to climate change: a review of three historical cases and some general perspectives’, Environmental Science & Policy, vol. 8, pp. 589–600, viewed 29 March 2014, Parmesan, C 2006, ‘Ecological and evolutionary responses to recent climate change’, Annual Review of Ecological and Evolutionary Systems, vol. 37, pp. 637–669, viewed 29 March 2014, The English Heritage 2012, ‘Climate change and the historic environment’, viewed 29 March 2014, UNEP 2009, Climate change science compendium 2009, UNEP, New York. Read More

This means that different tools of environmental history such as historical methods, documentary evidence about earlier incidents of climate change and their interpretation have provided accurate information about the nature, form and salient trends of climate change within the broad history of humanity. This has happened in several ways. For instance, historical studies have identified evidence of a rapid increase in the level of greenhouse gases emissions since the industrial revolution (National Aeronautics and Space Association 2014).

Such studies, coupled with vast scientific evidence about the rapid change in the global climate, provide accurate information about the nature and trends of climate change. Additionally, since historical studies have identified different cycles of glacial advances and retreats, they help us understand the historical nature of climate change as being cyclical in nature and necessitated by changes in the earth’s orbit. Also, understanding the history of climate change is essential for effective communication of the whole subject of climate change in the current time.

By understanding the historical nature of climate change, both scientific and historical facts can be used to frame the right information about climate change for the general public. This is an important way of overcoming barriers to the public understanding of climate change, top among them being the invisibility of the cause and distant nature of the impact of such a process (Moser 2010, p. 33). The third way in which historical studies of climate change help us understand climate change in an accurate historical context is by accurately portraying human understanding of the subject of climate change and the sequence of efforts to understand and address the issue.

For instance, Bodansky (2001, p. 23) traces the history of climate change in recent times. Climate change is presented in the form of increasing scientific consensus about the issue, early international responses and rising global awareness. From this historical study, an accurate understanding of the historical nature of climate change is enhanced. The second major way in which environmental history enhances the current understanding of climate change is in the form of presenting accurate information on how early civilisations interacted with environmental changes.

Such information, which is provided by environmental history, not only challenges our knowledge and perceptions about early responses to climate change but also enhances our understanding of the way human history interacts with changes in its environment. There are several studies that have examined early responses to climate change. For instance, Orlove (2005, p. 589), using historical, anthropological and archaeological evidence, examines how early societies responded to various incidents of widespread changes in climatic conditions.

Based on case studies of three different scenarios (the ancient civilizations of Classical Maya and the Viking settlements in Greenland) as well as the case of occasional droughts in the Great Plains of the United States, it is observed that human response to climate change has varied from adaptation to mitigation (Orlove 2005, p. 596). Apart from providing information on how human societies responded to changes in climatic conditions in ancient times, environmental history also presents information on how the current human society is responding to the current issue of climate change.

For instance, Brown et al. (2008, p. 4) observe that environmental history is an important aspect of saving the world. This is because by understanding the way human beings have interacted with the environment, present and future policies can be modelled in such a manner that sustainability, disaster management and efficient use of resources is ensured (Brown et al. 2008, p. 5). This implies that through environmental history, we are able to understand how human beings have responded to similar ecological changes in the past.

Read More