1,000 years of Australian climate data confirms 'unprecedented'
warming For the first time, scientists have reconstructed
temperature records for Australia and New Zealand going back
1,000 years. The research team used natural climate records—ice
cores, tree rings and coral skeletons—to piece together the
climate data. In a paper published this morning in the Journal
of Climate, the scientists say they're 95 per cent certain that
recent warming since the 1950s is 'unprecedented' in the past
1,000 years. They also say the warming can't be explained away
by natural variation—meaning that the greenhouse gases produced
by humans are to blame. (Editor's Note: Since this story was
originally broadcast, errors have been identified in aspects of
the data processing which may affect the results of this study.
As a result, publication has been delayed and the research has
been withdrawn from online publication. Professor Karoly says
the data will be recalculated, peer reviewed and published in
due course). - Professor