Figure 6.19

Atmospheric temperature reconstructions. Temperatures are given as anomalies above or below the average for the instrumental record-keeping period (1951 to 1980), which is defined as 0°C. (A) The current global average annual temperature is warmer than any other over the last 1,500 years. This temperature reconstruction is based mainly on data derived from tree rings and pollen in lake sediments. (B) This 800,000-year temperature reconstruction is based on ice-core data from Antarctica. Four interglacials were as warm as, or warmer than, today, the most recent of which was the Eemian, 125,000 years ago.