Volcanoes and Climate Change

The impact of volcanic eruptions on global warming could provide a new explanation for the so-called 'pause' in climate change. According to a recent study, models for predicting the rate at which temperatures around the world would rise from 1998 onwards did not take into consideration the measurable impact volcanoes can have. Rather than contributing to global warming, eruptions release particles into the air that reflect sunlight--causing temperatures to drop. This phenomenon was not taken into account when predictions were made--offering an explanation for why the world seemed to stop heating up. (1)