Global change scenarios from the perspective of the past

Global change projections are discussed. Anthropogenic pressures have been on the rise and their manifestations, such as changes in population, water footprint, land use and land cover and production output (of energy, food, and any other goods and services) are expected to grow further in future, with serious unwelcome side effects. Climate change has been unabated and unequivocal and is projected to go on until the end of this century and beyond. In order to restrict global warming to below the goal of 2°C, major concerted mitigation efforts, particularly control of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), are necessary, but the probability of adequate efforts being undertaken sufficiently early is not high, and keeps decreasing.