[0]http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2014/07/11/what-geology-has-to-... [1]https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/apr/21/ice...
Although global warming is often talked about in "bad for the Earth" terms, really, the Earth will be just fine. It's been through worse.
Global warming is scary because it's bad for human societies. We built our cities and farms and national boundaries in certain places based on the climate we have had. Significant shifts in sea level, precipitation, temps, etc. will cause massive costs and unrest.
In the wise words of George Carlin:
>The planet is fine. The people are fucked!
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_evolution_%28Englis...
1. there were also no humans, we evolved during a relatively dry and cold period and for the most part that's what we (and our current globe-spanning civilisation) are adapted for. That's also very convenient as heat and humidity are parasite havens.
2. the second issue is rate of change, globe-spanning temperature changes generally happen on geological timescale not generational ones, and in the latter case they usually triggered massive extinctions.
Neither of these is beneficial to us as a species.
[0]http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2005/09/breathing-easier-jura...
Scientists have calculated that volcanoes emit between about 130-230 million tonnes (145-255 million tons) of CO2 into the atmosphere every year (Gerlach, 1999, 1991). This estimate includes both subaerial and submarine volcanoes, about in equal amounts. Emissions of CO2 by human activities, including fossil fuel burning, cement production, and gas flaring, amount to about 27 billion tonnes per year (30 billion tons) [ ( Marland, et al., 2006) - The reference gives the amount of released carbon (C), rather than CO2, through 2003.]. Human activities release more than 130 times the amount of CO2 emitted by volcanoes--the equivalent of more than 8,000 additional volcanoes like Kilauea (Kilauea emits about 3.3 million tonnes/year)! (Gerlach et. al., 2002)
Granted this is just about CO2, but I wouldn't be suprised if the same principle applies to other pollution.
I think in the scheme of things, no matter how bad things get the planet won't even notice us. However the question remains what life will be left to see it when it does finally return to normal.