An expert on climate change has suggested that scientists today could learn much from looking at historical periods of extremes of weather and climate.
Writing in the latest edition of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency magazine, Professor Alastair Dawson claimed "we can learn a great deal by looking back in time … to decipher past patterns of change".
The environmental author explained that prior to AD 1400, Scotland had rarely experienced stormy winters.
But during this period the country began "to endure winter storms brought in from the North Atlantic" and for the following 500 years, Scotland "experienced the full rigours of this climatic deterioration".
The scientist urged people to consider the "meticulous weather logs" and diaries of the past to enable "an informed discussion on how our weather and climate is changing".
Governments are currently debating how best to keep climate change to a minimum without denying developing countries their basic rights to expansion.
