Why is the 8.2 ka event so relevant to the global warming debate?
What is most impressive about the 8.2 ka event is that it occured in the mid-Holocene when global temerpatures were actually a bit warmer than today. This sudden release of freshwater resulted in a short-lived (multidecade) but very abrupt reversal of the warming trend at that time. The relevance to modern society is that were such an event to take place today is would surely disrupt the social networks globally and impact nearly every aspect of our lives in a way that would be highly disproportionate to the actual climate disturbance. This is essentially because it would perturb climate (hence food and water supply, carrying capacities, political stability, trade networks) in ways that are difficult to predict.
