In the last topic you learned processes that influence the carbon cycle over the short term (tens to hundreds of years) and long term (millions of years). However, the carbon cycle also includes processes that occur on a glacial time scale. The activities of the carbon cycle on the short and long term time scales tend to reduce the effects of climate change. On the other hand, carbon cycle feedbacks that occur on glacial time scales typically act to amplify the effects of climate change through positive feedback loops. This helps explain the oscillation between glacial and interglacial climate periods that have been recorded in Earth's climate history.

At the moment, the buffering action of carbon sinks has acted to moderate the climate change caused by anthropogenic emissions. However, at some point, increasing global average temperatures could trigger the positive feedback loops of the carbon cycle and begin amplifying climate change.