Weather Past natural climate changes and society The early 21st Century currently sees the UK with a relatively large population on a relatively small island. This makes us highly susceptible to other vagaries and changes in weather and long-term climate changes. It is not only the demand on fresh water that becomes an issue, it is the pressures the are placed on other natural resources too. As many readers know, I am an advocate of the solar theory governing changes in weather and climate. The geological evidence suggest there is a correlation between the activity (cycles) of the Sun and changes to the Earth’s climate. For example: within the last 1000 years, from William the Conqueror to the present, we have experienced the Medieval Warm Period (circa 900-1315) and a Little Ice Age (1315-1850). Furthermore, there were many fluctuations between warm and cold prior to this since the end of the last Ice Age. Some scientists are suggesting that solar activity will start to wane over the next 30-40 years. This could potentially lead to significant cooling of the Earth. The worst-case scenario is a repeat of a Maunder (1645-1710) / Dalton (1790-1830) style minimum. These were periods in history when there was exceptionally low solar activity leading to prolonged 40-50 year cooling of the Earth, resulting in Dickensian style winters, Icebergs off Scotland, and the freezing of the river Thames in London!
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