Japan, China may be less affected by climate change

Temperature change in East Asian countries may be less significant than in countries bordering the North Atlantic, such as America and Great Britain, according to new research led by scientists at Newcastle University.
Researchers examined pollen samples take from a Japanese lake sediment core and found moderate changes in temperature and precipitation during the period from 16,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago, a time that experienced climate change similar to what we expect in the near future. The pollen data showed that temperatures only fluctuated slightly during a cold surge 12,000 years ago. Whereas the North Atlantic experienced a seven to 10 degrees centigrade decrease in temperatures during the same event due to destabilization of the Gulf Stream caused by melting of polar ice, Japan saw only an estimated 5 degrees centigrade decrease in winter and no more than three degrees centigrade decrease in summer. The results suggest that East Asia reacted differently to global warming 12,000 years ago. Researchers speculate that the Asian monsoon front may act as a barrier from the effect of North Atlantic cooling, which threatens other parts of the world with extreme climate change. Japan and lands east of the monsoon barrier could be spared the most drastic consequences. “The research suggests Asia will not be as severely affected by the destabilizing of the Gulf stream as countries bordering the Northern Atlantic," said Dr Takeshi Nakagawa, a palaeoclimatologist with Newcastle University’s School of Geography, Politics and Sociology. "The cooling effect will be more gradual than abrupt."
Satellite image of Mt. Fuji in Japan. Courtesy of NASA/JPL. Nakagawa said that more moderate climate change in Asia would be good for agriculture in the region. “Economically this means that the crop in East Asia will be safe because changes in crop growing season, which is spring to summer, will be relatively minor. But he warns that Asia should not be complacent about future climate change. “This doesn't mean that Asia can sit back, enjoy life and not take any responsibility for global warming. We should all be considering on how we can reduce the detrimental impact of human activity on the world as a whole which may be contributing to climate change.” Related articles