The New Scientist has published the oscillations in the World temperatures over what is known as the the current Inter-Glacial Warm Period in the Ice Ages. An Ice Age currently lasts for 100,000 to 120,000 years where the Polar Ice Sheets gradually expand to their maximum extent, then rapidly contract over some 20,000 years to about half their former area. The Earth's temperature risses some 10 - 12 degrees C, and the sea level rises some 100m. This was the state in Europe in 8,600BC. There is then an Inter-Glacial Warm Period. before the Ice Caps begin to expand again, and Glaciers in mountain regions also grow.
These Interglacial Warm periods are not of constant temperature, but always show fluctuations - even though it is now known that the Ice Ages have been running like clockwork for at least 3m years.
The New Scientist reported that over the last 10,600 years there have been 15 times where it has been warmer than it is today, and a similar number of times when it has been colder. It is also known that it was warmer in Roman times from the distribution of known Vineyards - which stretched North of Hull.
The climate then cooled to what is known as the Mini Ice Age from ~ 1600 to 1700, where the Thames regularly froze over from November to March - and was used as a permanent market. Vineyards contracted to around the Thames Estuary. Then the climate warmed - but Vineyards have not got back to Hull.
Past temperatures can be deduced from Ice Cores, and certain animal remains. The longest Ice Age Data comes from beetle shells on the coast of Norfolk.
Much of the current chatter on Climate Change is the temperature rise since the Industrial Revolution. What has actually happened is that the Earth has warmed from an unusual cold spell back to nearer average temperatures. The start of the Industrial Revolution cannot be said to have started due to the cold spell, nor vica versa that the rise in temperature is due to the Industrial Revolution. Nor is it science to apportion such a rise in temperature to such an Industrial Revolution - for in the 15 other times when temperatures were higher there were no Industrial Revolutions.
The logic of the situation is tha the current temperature rise is simply a return from a cold spell
The New Scientist Data have Maxima and Minima of similar sizes over the last 10,600 years - so some oscillation process is occurring. The logic is therefore that the temperature will go on rising towards the other 15 high oscillations. Vineyards will stretch beyond Hull - regardless of what man thinks he can do about it. The implications for the Business Environment are serious. Our high wealth levels are due to the recent revolutions in Energy, due largely to the growth in scientific knowledge, and very large investments both in energy sources and distribution systems to homes and many other places where energy is needed. These have continued beyond the Industrial Revolution into the present time. This has enabled large tracks of the Undeveloped World to start to share in this prosperity.
The misconceived chatter going on knows little of this scientific knowledge, or the nature of the of the energy revolution. That these can be ditched for completely new sources may be fallacious. Supposed renewables would be taken up if they became economic. Wind was a pre Industrial Revolution sourse - but other souces became more economic - forcing wind back to just that. Propaganda that wind farms are becoming competitive with say oil ignores the fact that most of the price of oil is tribute extracted by numerous Overlords including your own governments - the production cost of oil is trivial. Much of the revenue of world governments will be lost - they will have to make it up somehow but do not seem to understand this.
This topic was considered by the Business Environment Study Group of the Strategic Planning Society in the 1980s. The advanced world is reducing its energy requirements due to a number of trends, the main growth in energy will come from the developing world - who will use the most economic resources - and will not have much truck with the climate change propaganda. There is ample evidence that this is occurring - the logic is that the use of carbon based fuels will continue to grow.
In the advanced world we are seeing voter reaction to the notion that ordinary people must spend fortunes on changing their equipment, and quite likely they will not allow it. The US has already elected two Presidents anti climate change - and its quite likely this will be repeated with a majority of US people not agreeing with it. With such governments oscillating between for and against, each time the US withdrawing from climate setting targets. This combined with Third World development it can be expected to stall the climate change agenda.
The risk to businesses is that they are pursuaded to go down paths which prove to be not viable - such as people will not buy these products. Transport is such a case. Commentators are saying people will not buy electric cars for anything but local trips (the school run) - as re-fuelling cannot be done in a reasonable time. This could put motor manufacturers out of business - unless they insure they continue to have the products available that people will buy. There seems no solution to air and sea transport - you'll go back to the dark ages without international trade. Same applies to long distance trucks.
A lot of chatter occurs over agriculture - but we need ever more food.
Large parts of the construction industry are energy intensive, as well as the provision of energy to buildings in use. How the climate issue develops must be central for such suppliers.
The energy area will be in turmoil. A recent UK bid for more wind farms got no takers - as the price offerred for the energy out put was not enough. Questions will be raised on those already built. Huge investments exist in pipelines and other distribution systems - which may or may not become worthless, together with the business supplying them. Ultimately the owners of these businesses are pension funds - who will not be able to supply livings for the future old people.
The manufacturing area has a vast range of products which their businesses will need to take a view of the likely impacts from climate issues. The mining industries have traditionally funded prospecting to keep supplies flowing - but many have cut back causing shortages of energy materials already. Distribution systems are increasingly automated for their products - and may suffer by the uncertainties created.
There are uncertainties with the failure of business pressurised down the wrong course from which consumers won't buy is likely to cut economic growth, or worse enter Depression conditions - especially from firms failure to invest.
The oscillation of the climate temperature may be due to Sun Spots. When first observed by Galileo in 1600 they were far fewer of them than now. This low number coincided with the Mini Ice Age, and the growth in Sun Spots since has been followed by a rise in World temperatures. Sun Spots have been found to have an 11 year cycle. A small effect on atmospheric temperature has been detected within this period. Clearly Sun Spots vary between a few and a lot, and during 1600 - 2000 temperature has followed Sun Spot number. We do not know the Sun Spot number before 1600 but its most likely that they had a variation around 1000 years (with the 11 year cycle within). There may be other mechanisms also operating. Attempts have been made to explain the Ice Ages by slight changes in solar radiation resulting from regular changes in the Earth's orbit. It has recently been shown that this is the mathematical concept of mixing frequencies which is known to musicians as producing Beats. It has been shown that the Earth's orbit effects produces Beats of increased temperature lasting about 5,000 years each spaced variably about 20,000 years apart. This in turn will Beat with the Sun Spot effect on temperature. Thus there is ample evidence of regular effects on the Earth's temperature - even if we do not know in detail how Sun Spots varied before 1600AD. But we can be sure they would have risen and fallen over time.
This enables us to be confidant that the pattern of the Earth's temperature will follow New Scientist report of oscillating between the Thames freezing 1600s and warmer climate with Vineyards N of Hull - until the next Ice Age starts. We have been essentially warming from a very cold spell, with nothing man can do about it.
Attempting to meddle in things they clearly know little about may be disastrous.