G.J. Kukla & R.K. Matthews, Science, 178, 190-1, 1972

Note: I haven't read this paper (actually, it appears not to be a paper but a meeting report. That might well make it non-peer reviewed, which could be important). I assume its similar to G.J. Kukla, R.K. Matthews & J.M. Mitchell, Quaternary Research, 2, 261- 9, 1972 and from the quotes below it seems to be. The content of this page is based upon a posting from Alistair McDonald in August 2003: see: Physics Today: Rapid climate change

The full text of the paper is apparently available from JSTOR (or poss not: reports say the link doesn't work) at: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819721013%293%3A178%3A4057%3C190%3AWWTPIE%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Q but I don't have a subscription so I can't verify this.

Alistair says:

Unfortuately he is not debunking a myth. There was a scare in the 70s about another ice age, even if it was so long ago it is only a myth to those of William's age....

I quote that so you know Alistairs point of view. I guarantee that when I quote papers I am quoting them fairly and without bias (I do?!?) as far as I am able; I can't verify that here.

So, I'll quote Alistairs posting:

>Here is an excerpt from that meeting report;
>" At the end of the working conference, the majority of the particpants agreed
>the following points:

>The global environments of the last several millennia is in sharp contrast
>with climates that existed during most of the past million years. Warm
>intervals like the present one have been short lived and the natural end of
>our warm epoch is undoubtably near when considered on a geological
>time scale. Global cooling and related rapid changes of environment,
>substantially exceeding the fluctuations experienced by man in historical
>times, must be expected within the next few millennia or even centuries.
>In man's quest to utilise global resources, and to produce an adequate
>supply of food, global climate change constitutes a first order
>environmental hazard which must be thoroughly understood well in
>advance of the first global indications of deteriorating climate.
>Interdisciplinary attacks on these problems must be internationally
>organised and encouraged to develop at a rate substantially exceeding
>the present rate."

>Among those present at the meeting were R.G.Barry, C. Emiliana,
>J. Imbrie, W. Ruddiman, C.B.Schultz, N.J.Shackleton, and P.W. Weyl.
>Contributions were recieved from among others Broecker, Dansgaard,
>and Schneider.

So... this is fairly similar to G.J. Kukla, R.K. Matthews & J.M. Mitchell, Quaternary Research, 2, 261- 9, 1972, perhaps "sexed up" a little to appear in Science.