Co2 and Climate: a Geologist's View

Climate is discussed as an integral part of 'System Earth', determined by a complex interplay of numerous geological, biological and solar processes. The historical and geological record of changing climate and atmospheric CO^sub 2^ pressure does not support the current popular vision that this greenhouse gas is the dominant climate controlling agent. When empirically ante post tested against past global climate changes, the 'forecasts' of the climate models mainly based on forcing by atmospheric CO^sub 2^ are not borne out. On the other hand, recent studies show that solar variability rather than changing CO^sub 2^ pressure is an important, probably the dominant climate forcing factor.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]