A new study led by researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) has found that the scientific evidence for human-caused global warming is ‘stronger than ever’, with ‘overwhelming evidence’ that emissions are driving changes in Earth’s climate system.
Published in the Earth’s Future journal, the study, Fingerprint Evidence for Human Effects on Climate: Advances after the 2009 Endangerment Finding, traces the history of ‘climate fingerprint’ studies, which assess the patterns and timing of climate changes to distinguish between human and natural influences on Earth’s climate.
‘Deeply flawed’
The findings follow on from what the researchers describe as a ‘deeply flawed’ report by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in July 2025, which challenged the credibility of climate fingerprinting, adding that said report failed to take into account the advances in climate science made over the past two decades or so.
Professor Benjamin Santer of UEA, who led the review, said that fingerprinting techniques have now evolved to a point where human influence can be identified throughout Earth’s climate system and is “increasingly affecting the ability of societies and ecosystems to thrive”.
The researchers also noted that the 10 warmest years in instrumental surface temperature records occurred during the period after the 2009 Endangerment Finding, adding that this further strengthens the evidence around human-caused warming relative to natural climate variability.
‘Growing body of evidence’
“The climate science that’s been published since the 2009 Endangerment Finding is now stronger than in 2009, the evidence is incontrovertible” Prof Santer commented. “Our review suggests that the growing body of evidence linking human activity to observed climate changes reinforces the need for policies aimed at limiting greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate-related risks.
“A different kind of Endangerment Finding is that the continuation of rigorous attribution science is endangered. It’s inconvenient science for those who seek a fossil fuel intensive future, because it connects the dots between fossil fuel burning and harms to our personal health, to the health of our planet, and to the health of our societies and economies.”
The study was written by researchers from UEA, MIT, Colorado State University and the University of Edinburgh. Read more here.
