The journal was established in 1990 and covers all aspects of the interactions of climate with organisms, ecosystems, and human societies.

[1] In 2003, a controversial paper written by Willie Soon and Sallie Baliunas was published in the journal after being accepted by editor Chris de Freitas.

[2][3] The article reviewed 240 previous papers and concluded that "Across the world, many records reveal that the 20th century is probably not the warmest or a uniquely extreme climatic period of the last millennium".

[3] Many of the scientists cited in the paper denied this conclusion and protested that their data and results had been misrepresented.

[5][6] "While these statements may be true, the critics point out that they cannot be concluded convincingly from the evidence provided in the paper.