Book Description
Today's headlines and recent events reflect the gravity of climate change. Heat waves, droughts, and floods are bringing death to vulnerable populations, destroying livelihoods, and driving people from their homes.
Rigorous in its science and insightful in its message, this atlas examines the causes of climate change and considers its possible impact on subsistence, water resources, ecosystems, biodiversity, health, coastal megacities, and cultural treasures. It reviews historical contributions to greenhouse gas levels, progress in meeting international commitments, and local efforts to meet the challenge of climate change.
With more than 50 full-color maps and graphics, this is an essential resource for policy makers, environmentalists, students, and everyone concerned with this pressing subject.
The Atlas covers a wide range of topics, including:
* Warning signs
* Future scenarios
* Vulnerable populations
* Health
* Renewable energy
* Emissions reduction
* Personal and public action

Copub: Myriad Editions ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Geography of Climate Change Issues
This is an excellent book for those wishing to study the issue of climate change from a geographical standpoint.The maps are excellent - they show exactly where evidence is being found to support global warming, what aeas of the world will be most impacted by global warming, and which nations have committed resources to slowing carbon emissions.

It is a visual guide to global warming, giving a very graphic perspective of the earth as a whole.The scientific explanations of the interacting systems of global winds, ocean currents, atmospheric gasses, and how they are being affected by human alterations, are particularly easy to understand because of the clear diagrams and colorful maps.

As an instructor of physical geography, I find this to be an excellent book for the non-scientist to undertand the physical processes and the science of global warming.The detailed yet easy-to-understand maps and diagrams add another dimension to an often dry and theoretical topic.

Good effort but misses a major point
This book enters the fray with a good overview relative to alternative energy as the answer - but, in my opinion,fails to embrace the "source" of today's dilemma. To precipitate a change in climate - we need a sea-change in the overall interaction of humanity with water. To achieve this, it would be wise for each of us to become conscious of how our daily decisions impact the world within our reach. What products we buy, how we use energy, the examples we set, what we say to others, how we help ease the burden of other life forms we come into contact with - all have an impact on water and the future of life in our biosphere. And, it is the condition of water within our biosphere that will determine the success or failure of our civilization.

Excellent Understandable Information!
My title says it all!This book is easy to read, pleasant to the eyes with its use of color and visuals, and food for the mind.At last, someone has taken pity on individuals who hear about climate change problems, but have not had the facts about it.I think this book is useful for everyone, and can be used in church, school, and living room settings.

Jay S. Southwick

Adequate intro/primer on climate change, inadequate and biased view of how to fix it
The authors do an adequate job of presenting the crisis of climate change in the first four chapters. Thebook is touted as being scientifically rigorous while Bo Kjellen, in the forward, states that it 'provides facts enabling readers to form an independent view of the problems.' This is true for the first 4 chapters. But when it comes to solutions,both of these authors are clearly in the anti-nuclear 'camp' for alternative energy policy. On page 11 they make this sweeping negative statement:

"Concerns over safety and long term storage of rad waste remain and it is not clear that its potential as an adaptation to climate change offers sufficiently strong justification to overcome economic barriers."

And so nuclear energy quickly gets buried by these authors, never to return again in this title. No sources are cited for this justification. No maps/statistics of countries with successful nuclear energy programs like France and Japan. No mention of nuclear energy's safety record in the US or worldwide (compared to natural gas, coal, oil). No chapter on the pros and cons of the latest nuclear energy technology. No estimation of energy demands the US will have when we're past the peak of oil and gas (which may have occured). No talk of eliminating dependency on foreign oil or the need for immediate and massive carbon emission reductions that are ONLY possible--in the short run-- w/ nuclear energy.It's that simple...minded.
Why is this bias so prevalent? James Lovelock in the REVENGE OF GAIA treats this uninformed bias(propaganda?)in some detail in his chapter Sources of Energy. The romantic notion that renewable energy (4% of current world totals) will have significant impact on adequately quelling carbon emissions is the modern day techno-barbarism promoted by these authors. Yes, renewables (geothermal tidal, solar, etc.) WILL rise in use world wide, but to put such faith in renewables when a 60-80% reduction of carbon is needed for survival (according to the EU) is tantamount to deception on a personal and public level that only a J. Lovelock could expose, andso vividly. Again, I refer the reader--especially those with strong anti-nuke feelings-- to Lovelock's latest release to get his rationale for what the stakes are at this stage of our climate history.

Lovelock and many others like myself are simply tired of the 'happy talk' babbling on renewables coming from authors like these as exemplified on page 87:

"Reducing carbon emissions to this extent will require massive changes to the world's carbon-based economy and our current inefficient use of energy. The GOOD NEWS is that many of the required technologies, such as geothermal, solar, and wind power, already exist, and there are many opportunities to improve and expand on their use."Really? Again, what place does nuclear energy, which accounts for 20% of the energy production in the U.S., have in all of this? None for these two. This is absurd.

Of course nuclear energy is not an approved or 'required' technology for these two authors. Contrary to any 'economic barriers' cited by Dow and Downing, the real barrier promulgated by these authors--and the uniformed public--has to do with ignorance, which ends up driving a flawed political agenda for addressing climate change. (And don't the oil execs love that!)

The views in this book express an unscientific bias that fails to even consider the science, risks, and refined technology of current nuclear energy that one finds in Nuttall's book THE NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE (2005).The dramatic carbon decrease from nuclear energy would certainly be the greatest benefit to human kind and planetary survival. Presenting the challenges of addressing climate climate with THEIR "facts" on nuclear energy, Dow and Downing do a disservice to the concerned reader seeking a comprehensive solution. Would these authors support supplanting China's dependence on coal(75% of their total energy pie) with nuclear? Of course not.
I believe, like Lovelock, that the denial of nuclear energy as a player at the table--and the subtle squashing of ANY debate-- will probably lead to the detriment of all life on this planet. That may sound dramatic, but I believe the stakes are truly that high. We should not let authors like Dow and Downing attempt to rationalize away a technology that, apparently, they have little familiarity with.

RATING: 2 1/2 stars. Time for a revision. And a rapid paradigm shift. ... Read more

Book Description
The Rough Guide to Climate Change gives the complete picture of the single biggest issue facing the planet. Cutting a swathe through scientific research and political debate, this completely updated 2^nd edition lays out the facts and assesses the options- global and personal- for dealing with the threat of a warming world. The guide looks at the evolution of our atmosphere over the last 4.5 billion years and what computer simulations of climate change reveal about our past, present, and future. This updated edition includes new information from the 2007 report from the International Panel on Climate Change and an updated politics section to reflect post-Kyoto developments. Discover how rising temperatures and sea levels, plus changes to extreme weather patterns, are already affecting life around the world. The guide unravels how governments, scientists and engineers plan to tackle the problem and includes in-depth information and lifestyle tips about what you can do to help. ... Read more

Book Description
Climate variability has become the primary environmental concern of the 21st Century. Yet, despite the scientific community's warnings of the imminent dangers of global warming, politicians world-wide have failed to agree on what to do about this potentially devastating environmental problem. This introductory primer informs scientists, policy makers and the general public by clarifying the conflicting claims of the debate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Eschew Obfuscation
I was disappointed in the writing.The book reads like a scientific treatise.The authors write, "This tangling of positive with normative claims, and of explicit arguments with unstated assumptions, obstructs reasoned deliberations on public policy."(p. 22.)OK.No doubt this is true.It borders on common sense and needs to be said.The problem is that, for the non-scientific person to whom this book is addressed, such language obstructs understanding.We don't talk that way.I gather that the authors are keen to be as objective and sound in their discussion as possible.Certainly this is commendable.Do they need to speak in these kinds of terms in order to be objective?Do they need to speak in such language in order to convey these basic concepts?Not to the degree they have done so.I give the book only four stars because I was anxious to learn more about this topic, and I was annoyed when an "accessible primer" is made unnecessarily difficult.I'm not planning in taking a degree in the subject.

The Case for Climate Change
The book takes a logical stance from the development of observations in science to a political conclusion and what to do about climate change.This is two books.One is the science of global warming and climate change.The other is about politics.

The science side is abbreviated.The authors avoid an in-depth discussion and rely mostly on correlations for explanation.A graph on page 74 is stunning.It is a better match than Gore's correlation from An Inconvenient Truth.I had only hoped that the authors had talked about laboratory results of experiments on greenhouse gases.

The politics side is wordy and a bit predictable, although Dessler and Parson do a good job in making a very logical and well-developed case.

Excellent work
How does science work? And how do politics work? How does it all fit together with the data that has come from various sources all over the planet - and is climate change real? All these questions are addressed in an easy read, very neutral. The authors take a firm stand on the issue finally, from a scientific perspective, and the result is clear: Yes, it is real, and it is coming at us, while politicans are incapable and totally overwhelmed by the problem. It is a new kind of threat nobody can deal with, thus we ignore it. Too much for us. Surprising to read from two high profile, Ex-NASA scientists from the US themselves. Alerting at the same time. A must read to be up to date with the debate or quickly get an overview. Stefan Klose - University of Ulm - Germany

Helpful guide to Global Climate Change
This is a good very good review of science and policy of Global Climate Change without bias esotheric science or paragraphs going nowhere.

Recomended to the reader who wants to make up their own mind.The book will find a use in introductory survey coures in High School and College.

More graphs and diagrams would have been helpful, although they are available to those scanning the internet.

A must-have for your collection
This is an excellent way into the subject for the beginner. There's some very sound science, most of which is agreed upon and a good understanding of how policy making works, or doesn't. The two ideas are brought together along with a discussion as to how we might proceed. One of the strengths of the book is the frequent use of boxes to put alternative viewpoints and summaries to show where we are in the debate. The overall effect is one of the most lucid and readable introductory accounts of the topic that has been published in some while. As such it should be seen as a 'must-buy' and an essential addition to the library. ... Read more

Book Description
The vast majority of scientists agree that human activity has significantly increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere--most dramatically since the 1970s. In February 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that global warming is "unequivocal" and that human-produced carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are chiefly to blame, to a certainty of more than 90 percent. Yet global warming skeptics and ill-informed elected officials continue to dismiss this broad scientific consensus. In What We Know About Climate Change, MIT atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel outlines the basic science of global warming and how the current consensus has emerged. Although it is impossible to predict exactly when the most dramatic effects of global warming will be felt, he argues, we can be confident that we face real dangers. Emanuel, whose work was widely cited in media coverage of Hurricane Katrina, warns that global warming will contribute to an increase in the intensity and power of hurricanes and flooding and more rapidly advancing deserts.

But just as our actions have created the looming crisis, so too might they avert it. Emanuel calls for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gases and criticizes the media for playing down the dangers of global warming (and, in search of "balance," quoting extremists who deny its existence).

An afterword by environmental policy experts Judith Layzer and William Moomaw discusses how the United States could lead the way in the policy changes required to deal with global warming. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bothersome....
While there is plenty of evidence to support Dr. E's claims, the fact is that there is plenty of evidence to still argue it.Seeing the name "James Hansen" in the review, and then seeing the term "extremists" used in the description (towards those who may question or argue any of Dr. E's points) may have soured my opinion on the book before I could even open the cover.That being said, I would suggest that people buy "Divine Wind", and stay clear of "What we know...".I was quite confused at the way the book was laid out - with large print, and large margins.With about 60 words per page, it seemed to appear more like a children's book then a serious science book (although obviously, it is very technical, and well written.) However, climate scientists and meteorologists need to stop the political "he said, she said", and work towards finding the differences in opinions/studies, and less time point the finger at one another.

Brief and Superb Explanation
Dr. Emanuel does a superb job of separating the wheat from the chaff in this little gem.It's virtually impossible for the average layman to separate conspiracy theory nonsense from fear-mongering reading most books and popular press articles on global warming. But Emanuel presents a sound authoritative analysis of what we really do and don't know.
Unlike many other books on global warming, which bury the reader with a plethora of out-of-context quotes, tables of data, and cherry-picked charts, Emanuel presents just enough solid data for the reader to understand the whole issue.
He covers the philosophic underpinnings of different views, the history of global warming, the science, and finally the politics.When put together in this fashion, readers will educate themselves properly.
Before reading this book, I spent months and months reading peer reviewed scientific journal articles, web-site after web-site, and many popular press articles. Had I read Dr. Emanuel's book sooner I could have obtained the same final position with much less work and time invested.

Words of authority
Be forewarned this is a very small book: 82 pages of text, one B&W figure and no references. On a typical page I counted 120 words.I spotted no typos. I found only one sentence where I thought the physical explanation was muddled.The text could provide an excellent narration to a video documentary.A typical citizen needing to get wise about the physics of global warming might be better served by something more than a book without graphics.

Nevertheless, the book is a very quick read and professionals in this field may still enjoy scouring the pages of this book to find out where Professor Emanuel stands on certain issues.I got my money's worth on page 67 where we can read: "Scientists are most effective when they provide sound, impartial advice, but their reputation for impartiality is severely compromised by the shocking lack of political diversity among American academics, who suffer from the kind of group-think that develops in cloistered cultures.Until this profound and well-documented intellectual homogeneity changes, scientists will be suspected of constituting a leftist think tank."

15 of the 82 pages are not Prof. Emanuel's words, but is an "Afterword" provided by other authors.These words carry less authority.For example, the Afterword attributes the melting of the snows of Kilimanjaro to global warming, but some recent scientific research implicates land use changes around Kilimanjaro.

The Afterword also lays out a plan to save us from global warming, with a claim that "addressing global warming could be relatively painless".Here is the plan: "the United States and other industrial economies reduce their emissions by three percent per year between now and mid-century" which will ultimately "reduce global emissions by 75 percent or more".Some of the means to do this provide a chuckle: "driving less aggressively".No account is made for global population growth and global ambitions for prosperity. ... Read more

Book Description
This comprehensive, current examination of U.S. law as it relates to global climate change begins with a summary of the factual and scientific background of climate change based on governmental statistics and other official sources. Subsequent chapters address the international and national frameworks of climate change law, including the Kyoto Protocol, state programs affected in the absence of a mandatory federal program, issues of disclosure and corporate governance, and the insurance industry. Also covered are the legal aspects of other efforts, including voluntary programs, emissions trading programs, and carbon sequestration. ... Read more

Book Description
There is now clear scientific evidence that emissions from economic activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels for energy, are causing changes to the Earth's climate. A sound understanding of the economics of climate change is needed in order to underpin an effective global response to this challenge. The Stern Review is an independent, rigourous and comprehensive analysis of the economic aspects of this crucial issue. It has been conducted by Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of the UK Government Economic Service, and a former Chief Economist of the World Bank. The Economics of Climate Change will be invaluable for all students of the economics and policy implications of climate change, and economists, scientists and policy makers involved in all aspects of climate change. ... Read more

Book Description
Most of us are familiar with the terms climate change and global warming, but not too many of us understand the science behind them. We don't really understand how climate change will affect us, and for that reason we might not consider it as pressing a concern as, say, housing prices or the quality of local education. This book explains the scientific knowledge about global climate change clearly and concisely in engaging, nontechnical language, describes how it will affect all of us, and suggests how government, business, and citizens can take action against it.

If people don't quite understand the seriousness of climate change, it is partly because politicians and the media have misrepresented the scientific community's strong consensus on it--politicians by selectively parsing the words of mainstream scientists, and the media by presenting "balanced" accounts that give the views of a small number of contrarians equal weight with empirically supported scientific findings. The science is complex, couched in the technical language of sinks, forcing, and albedo, and invokes probabilities, risks, ranges, and uncertainties. Policy discussions use such unfamiliar terms as no regrets policy, clean development mechanism, and greenhouse-gas intensity.

Climate Change explains the nuts and bolts of climate and the greenhouse effect and describes their interaction. It discusses the nature of consensus in science, and the consensus on climate change in particular. It describes both public- and private-sector responses, considers how to improve the way scientific findings are communicated, and evaluates the real risks both to vulnerable developing countries and to particular areas of the United States. We can better tackle climate change, this book shows us, if we understand it. We can use this knowledge to guide our own behavior and pressure governments and businesses to take action.

Contributors:
John Abatzoglou, Joseph F. C. DiMento, Pamela Doughman, Richard A. Matthew, Stefano Nespor, Naomi Oreskes, and Andrew C. Revkin ... Read more

Book Description
The Rough Guide to Climate Change is a complete, unbiased guide to one of the most pressing problems facing humanity. From the current situation and back ground science to the government sceptics and possible solutions, this book covers the whole subject. The guide looks at: Visible symptoms of change from a warming planet How global warming works. The evolution of our atmosphere over the last 4.5 billion years What computer simulations of climate reveal about our past, present, and future The sceptics: Who are they? What are their grounds for disagreeing with the crowd? Battle of the titans: The oil industry vs. the global commons Global warming in the media: A review of the last few decades. Global solutions: What governments and scientists are doing to try and solve the problem Plus much, more.The guide also includes lifestyle advice and tips for consumers who want to make a difference in tomorrow’s climate, and comes complete with a gloassary of websites for further information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

easy to understand
this book is so easy to read. i had to have the book for class but i ended up really enjoying reading it. we have assignments to read out of the book each week but i liked it so much i read the entire book in one night

Easily the best general book on global warming!
Having just finished reading this book, I'm stunned at how much information it crams into ~326 pages.It's simply the most comprehensive and yet readable book on global warming today (clearly written with lots of photos and illustrations).

I suspect that most readers (like myself) will have difficulty absorbing the material in one reading.Lucklily, the book is divided into sections that are independent (for the most part), so readers can break it into more manageable chunks.

The author is clearly concerned about global warming but he strives to be fair and balanced- however, he does devote a page for a well-deserved critique of Michael Crichton's "State of Fear" (2005), which is really a silly book.

Even though "Climate Change" was just published in 2006, much has changed because of the IPCC report in 2007, so a 2nd edition is due in early 2008.

Encyclopaedic, yet readable
It seems almost extravagant to publish yet another book on climate change.This one, however, bears the benefit of being almost extravagantly comprehensive.Henson has assembled a wealth of data, presenting it in a superbly organised and accessible account.Although the term "Rough Guide" might imply a superficial approach to the topic, this book is anything but that.In slightly over three hundred pages, the author covers the current conditions, the history leading up to those and what processes are in place to influence climate.He also deals with how the sciences investigating climate change work, and why we should pay attention to them.

His analysis of policies addressing climate change, in particular his descripton of the Kyoto Protocols, is unsurpassed.He even includes how the arts, well and poorly, have adopted climate themes into their productions.Although he recognises the failings of such films as "The Day After Tomorrow", he accepts their role in raising public consciousness.This enlarged awareness has been manifested [...]which uses idle computers to assess data used in modelling climate change.Henson's explanation of computer modelling is on a par with the rest of his presentation; clear and informative.

The author repeatedly stresses that while climate change is a global phenomenon, it is individuals who will make a difference in its onset and impact.Accordingly, his suggested solutions will bear close scrutiny.As well as Kyoto's broad view, Henson examines the alternatives or enhancements for their likely effectiveness.The recent initiative by The Asia-Pacific Partnership, based on voluntary controls and shared technologies, is covered, as is the Contraction and Convergence model.Most importantly, the author's coverage of personal changes in energy consumption and pollution reduction is very helpful.He makes clear that none of the steps requires drastic change in lifestyle nor the outlay of substantial funds.To this end he closes with a list of useful resources of information on all aspects of the topic.If there is a shortcoming in this book, it is the process used to save paper and money.The reduced size of the volume means packing all that information into a small space.The typeface is miniscule and the reading can be excruciating.Energy-saving lightbulbs in your house may lead to impaired vision from sifting through so much information. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Clarity about Climate
This book is well organized and well written.The subject of climate change is not an easy one, and here Robert Henson has given explanation that any thoughtful reader should be able to understand.Maps, graphs, and pictures help to give life to the text.Short biographies of some of the main participants in the debate about global warming are interesting and revealing.On a subject so important, the book is an important contribution to citizens who want to be better informed.The print is very small, so people with eye-strain need to be warned, but even for that part of the audience, there are sections of the text that can stand alone and still be interesting and informative.

Excellent, but some rough spots.
Though small in size, this book is thorough and packed
with the latest information about climate change. The
margins are not overly generous.The typography is tight.
The binding is excellent, with informative fold-out
graphics on the front and back covers.A bargain price
for such a well-edited, well-researched and well-constructed book.

Although the book may be intended for the non-specialist,
I would recommend that all university students of
atmospheric sciences read this book.I will be
recommending this bookas a supplementary text in
university courses -- a purpose probably not intended
for this sort of book.The book is not mathematical.
Nevertheless, many issues are raised that will invite
formal mathematical analysis in the classroom.

The book has some rough spots. Indeed the rough spots
provide the invitations for a mathematical re-examination.

page 16: "Even if we turned off every fuel-burning
machine on earth tomorrow, climate modellers tell us
that the world would warm at least another 0.5 C
(0.9 F) as oceans slowly release the heat they've
collected in recent decades."This should be stated as
"...as oceans slowly warm and adjust toward the new
radiative equilibrium state with higher greenhouse gas concentrations."

page 100: "Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases
tomorrow, we're committed to some amount of warming...as
the heat tucked away from the deep oceans gradually seeps
upward."This is the same mistake as on page 16. Even
with CO2 fixed at the current 380 ppmv the oceans and
atmosphere would warm for decades, with heat seeping
downward into the oceans.The warming will be caused by
more radiation entering the atmosphere than leaving.
Another way to repair the sentence is to state: "Even
if we returned greenhouse gases to preindustrial values
tomorrow, we're committed to elevated temperatures for
many decades...as the heat tucked away from the deep
ocean gradually seeps upward."

page 36: "...greenhouse gases carry several times more
punch when they are emitted at altitude".The word
should be "exist" rather than"emitted".The lifetime
of a CO2 molecule in the atmosphere is a "century" (p. 24).
And on page 29: "the gas should be well mixedthroughout
Earth's atmosphere". On page 172: "Longer-lived greenhouse
gases, such as carbon dioxide, are thoroughly mixed across
the troposphere, both horizontally and vertically". For a
greenhouse gas molecule that will exist in the atmosphere
for 100 years, what difference does it make as to where
it was released?

page 166: "Nobody doubts the existence of the heat-island
effect, by which dense buildings and paved areas of cities
absorb heat and ricochet it through the the city air."
A more rigorous explanation of the heat-island effect is
warranted, preferably one that doesn't use the word
"ricochet", and one that uses energy balance principles.
The wikipedia has a decent summary of the physics.

page 172: "Since ozone absorbs sunlight, its partial loss
in the lower stratosphere for the last twenty years or so
has allowed temperatures there to plummet..".It would
be worthwhile to mention that declining tempertures in
the upper stratosphere are primarily attributable to
increasing carbon dioxide.The cooling is happening
right onschedule, and accord with our theories of
atmospheric radiation. Indeed, radiative energy balance
analysis (of the sort that exists in all climate models)
shows that a cooling of the stratosphere amplifies the
warming of the troposphere and surface.

page 304: "Hydrogen, the simplest and most abundant element
on Earth...". Geology classes teach 34.6% Iron, 29.5% Oxygen,
15.2% Silicon, ... If we substitute "in the universe" for
"on Earth", the statement is true. ... Read more

Book Description
The Climate Change 2007 volumes of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provide the most comprehensive and balanced assessment of climate change available. This IPCC Working Group II volume brings us completely up-to-date on the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change. Written by the world's leading experts, the IPCC volumes will again prove to be invaluable for researchers, students, and policymakers, and will form the standard reference works for policy decisions for government and industry worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Great overview of climate change issues
Linden is a science journalist with a long history of work in the area of climate. This book is more about the history of climate change than global warming per se. It details many past instances of climate change events and how they affected civilizations at the time. It is an excellent overview of past events and gives the feel of being well-researched. There are decent references to other studies and works. The main concern ends up being worries about rapid climate change, including the potential for a rapid cooling spell. At times the book seems to bog down a bit in endless details or examples, but in the end it comes off as being fairly complete. Along the way there is decent coverage of some of the key figures and events in climate research. His conclusion is that there is ample reason to believe that current climate change trends could lead to devastating effects for civilization. Most of the explicit coverage of global warming comes near the end and seems almost tacked-on with regard to the focus of the main narrative. This is just one of many books on climate change available. The strong points of this one are that it covers the whole range of issues related to climate change, not just global warming, and it does a pretty good job of summarizing and giving references to many issues that get thrown around in discussions of climate change without being well understood in context.

Good overview of climate change
I thought it was a very good introduction to climate change.It covers:
1) The history of the young science of climate change;
2) Basic concepts in how energy from the sun is distributed by the world's oceans and atmosphere, and how this creates weather patterns and affects the earth's climate;
3) How scientists currently believe the earth's climate has changed through the ages;
4) Techniques that are used to determine how the earth's climate has changed over the past thousands of years;, and
5) Reasons why understanding climate change is so important.

The book's main theme is that a stable climate has been vital to the development and survival of civilization.If the climate had not been fairly stable for the past 4,000 years the human race would not be where it is today.But this stability cannot and should not be taken for granted.In fact, a very large body of evidence indicates that in the past the earth's climate has changed quickly and radically many times through the ages, and we may be on the verge of another radical shift.The effect of such a shift (or shifts, as the the climate 'flickers' back and forth between brief warmer and cooler periods before stabilizing again) would be calamities unprecedented since the dawn of civilzation.

This is not a book about green-house gasses.The first two-thirds of the book hardly mention C02 and methane at all.And in the final chapters the focuses on the evidence that the climate IS changing, and the consequences of that change, and doesn't spend much time on the debate about humankind's part in it, other than citing studies showing that of 700 peer-reviewed journal articles between 1993 and 2003 regarding modern climate change, "not one took issue with the consensus that humans are changing climate."

Minor criticisms:some sections of the book include technical explanations that were so complicated that I glossed over them; certain parts of the book emphasize that much of what we 'know' about what the climate was doing thousands of years ago are just theories, while in other places he states them as 'facts'; and many of the little charts at the start of each chapter look very technical and official, most label only one axis, so that they're essentially meaningless.

I learned a lot from this book, and recommend it to others.People should read it (or a similar book on the same topic) before becomping opinionated on the issue of global warming and climate change.

Quality material in a sea of junk-science
I was pleased, overall. The author has the credentials to discuss the topic with some authority (unlike some other books I've read recently...) The beginning is somewhat slow; it seemed to re-cover historical ground (i.e. the Norse experiment in Iceland and Greenland) that was already discussed at length by Jarred Diamond in "Collapse."

The best part of the book was the explanation of the mechanics of the oceans: how temperature and salinity work to create currents and climate.

I agree with those other reviewers who though the book could have used a bit more focus. Overall, however, WoC is a very informative read: scientific without being technical and boring. As a non-scientist, I thought this was very accessible. Quality material in a sea of rhetoric and junk-science.

Very educational. Recommended.

Interesting use of history with science
Using the known history of climate change, together with a discussion of the kinds of scientific evidence, provides the basis for conclusions regarding the human factor.

Dismissing all chnage as somehow normal (or ignoring it regarding policy) clearly is unacceptable and dangerous. As "practical" people report to the government (only to be edited, delayed, given scant attention) other practical folks like the insurance industry and some investors show increasing awareness.

Draw your own conclusions; to me immediate and meaningful action are required with real policy changes. It may force some settled business interests to change but seems critical, healthy, and could provide new industries and jobs in the process. Many of these jobs by their very nature could not be shipped overseas so pracical politicians and business people for even selfish motives may come around. Will it be soon enough?

The Pre-historical Perspective to Climate Change
Linden goes to great effort to describe climate changes in the past, such as the Little Ice Age.He relates fallen civilizations such as the Vikings of Greenland and the Mayans to climate change.Linden calls climate change the serial killer of civilizations.It is more of a flicker than a change.

Because global warming is a different kind of climate change than the climate changes described here (as those during the Ice Ages) there has to be a modest jump that is impossible to avoid.Linden's approach is important in that it shows how climate change inevitably will occur.It suggests that increasing carbon dioxide emissions, caused by humans, is like teasing the serial killer.

The book should not be considered a complete guide to global warming, but it looks at climate change through a unique perspective.
... Read more

Book Description
This classic resource on school finance contains the most comprehensive and current information that effects school finance, including historical, economic, technological/mathematical, and legal points of view.The writing in this book is both scholarly and engaging, appealing to a diverse audience of students, educational leaders, parents, and legislators.Gives readers a broad overview of school finance in a clear, comprehensive, readable manner.School finance is an ever-changing topic and this book, now in its Ninth Edition, continues to cover all current trends to provide readers with a firm grounding in educational finance issues that administrators need to understand.In-service and pre-service teachers, administrators, legislators and parents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A keeper
In addition to being a textbook, this is a resource worth adding to your professional library.

Good book
This book was just what I needed for my class.It had all the info that I needed to help me succeed in the class.

Financing Education Review
Great book.Very helpful in my study of the school superintendency.Very practical and useful information. ... Read more

Book Description
How did humankind deal with the extreme challenges of the last Ice Age? How have the relatively benign post-Ice Age conditions affected the evolution and spread of humanity across the globe? By setting our genetic history in the context of climate change during prehistory, the origin of many features of our modern world are identified and presented in this illuminating book. It reviews the aspects of our physiology and intellectual development that have been influenced by climatic factors, and how features of our lives - diet, language and the domestication of animals - are also the product of the climate in which we evolved. In short: climate change in prehistory has in many ways made us what we are today. Climate Change in Prehistory weaves together studies of the climate with anthropological, archaeological and historical studies, and will fascinate all those interested in the effects of climate on human development and history.Download Description
How did humankind deal with the extreme challenges of the last Ice Age? How have the relatively benign post-Ice Age conditions affected the evolution and spread of humanity across the globe?By setting our genetic history in the context of climate change during prehistory, the origin of many features of our modern world are identified and presented in this illuminating book. It reviews the aspects of our physiology and intellectual development that have been influenced by climatic factors, and how features of our lives - diet, language and the domestication of animals - are also the product of the climate in which we evolved. In short: climate change in prehistory has in many ways made us what we are today. Climate Change in Prehistory weaves together studies of the climate with anthropological, archaeological and historical studies, and will fascinate all those interested in the effects of climate on human development and history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A balanced account of the latest thinking
At first I thought that "Climate Change in Prehistory" was too academic and stuffed with dry facts for the non-specialist reader.I changed my mind by the end.

There are certainly lots of facts and technical jargon, but these are enlivened by occasional gems of dry humour.The author has also struck a good balance with technical jargon.

The book is easy to read, although it is not a "popular" account by any means.

The author handles controversial topics well: such as the date of human occupation of the Amercas and the extinction of megafauna in Australia and the Americas. He presents the relevant research (including the occasional crackpot theory) and indicates where consensus or controversy exist.

Readers who want to dig deeper into specific issues have plenty of references and an excellent bibliography to get them started.

The book covers a surprisingly wide range of topics.For example, the effects of changing diets (meat vs carbohydrates) as humans changed from being hunter-gatherers to farmers is

described.The author seems to come to an implicit conclusion in relation to modern diets, but I won't give the game away by revealing it here.

Ancient history is generally taught as starting with the Egyptians and Mesopotamian civilisations, so most students have never been exposed to descriptions of what came before the

evolution of large, settled societies - probably because little beyond conjecture was known until quite recently.

Books such as "Climate Change in Prehistory" show how much we have learned about climate in pre-history in recent decades - and how much a study of the remote past can illuminate current
climate debates.

I was struck by how well Burroughs integrates information from a remarkably wide range of data into his book - ice cores, linguistics, pollen studies, oceanic sediments, tree rings to name just a few.

Readers new to the subject, or who are looking for a less-technical account, might be better off reading "The Long Summer" (Fagan) and "The Little Ice Age" (Grove).These are both excellent introductions to climate and its effects on humans since the last ice age.

"Climate Change in Prehistory" is an excellent book for readers who want to know the latest thinking about how climate has varied and affected humans since the last ice age.

Climate and Sociologic Developments 20 K Years Ago
Pre-history in this case is really defined in terms of the last ice age. In the first part of the book the author talks about relatively recent research into the weather changes in the last hundred thousand or so years. This is based on things like drilling cores into the ice in Greenland and Antarctica. Trapped air in bubbles in the ice provide clues to the climate at the time.

After that the author begins to look into the effects of these changes on life at the time. This includes both plant and animal life as well as human. The author contends, and with some very good reasoning, that the climatic conditions at the time did a lot to define an awful lot of things that we take for granted today, things like the differing gender roles, color blindness (men are about 20 times more likely to be color blind than women), migration patterns (a lot of the old thinking has been revised in view of DNA studies).

One striking point is the possibility or even likelyhood that there was a migration from Europe to America in the 20,000 year ago time period. This is was suggested by the similarity of arrowheads (the Clovis points) in America and parts of Europe. Then DNA evidence of Indians living around the Great Lakes seem to have a different lineage than the rest of the American Indians.

This is a new book that reflects the new theories that result from recent scientific discoveries. ... Read more

Book Description
The Climate Change 2007 volumes of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provide the most comprehensive and balanced assessment of climate change available. This IPCC Working Group I report brings us completely up-to-date on the full range of scientific aspects of climate change. Written by the world's leading experts, the IPCC volumes will again prove to be invaluable for researchers, students, and policymakers, and will form the standard reference works for policy decisions for government and industry worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

What Percentage of the U.S. Populationwill Read This?
I think we know the answer to that. Instead, check out the 127 page technical summary.
(Note that when I entered the ISBN for the Summary (92-9169-121-6) to do this review it did not come up on Amazon. However, the cover and title are the same for both documents.
Climate Change 2007 includes a Summary for Policymakers, FAQs, and a useful glossary. The confidence displayed in this document should convince even the strongest of naysayers that we'll be entering a new climate regime, and fairly rapidly. See especially pages 81-91: 'Robust Findings vs Key Uncertainties'.
Feb. 9 2008--
I just finished Novacek's chapter 'Heat Wave' in TERRA (2007). Here's what this paleontologist had to say about this IPCC Summary, p 314:

"Scientific consensus is now overwhleming. In Feb '07, the IPCC issued the conclusion that global warming is unequivocal and humans are very likely (more than 90% likelihood) to be the cause. Ther last time the IPCC reported in 2001, it assigned a conservative 60% likelihood to warming and stated that the link between human activity and climate change was only 'likely.' Even so, some scientist protested that the IPCC 2007 report was too conservative in its estimates of sea level rise because it discounts the recent disclosures on the melting polar ice caps and sliding glaciers. In years past, many scientists regarded the IPCC results as overextended; now many are saying the opposite."

An Authoritative Source
If you are looking for a thorough, detailed review of the the current scientific concensus on climate change, this is it. Though long (at nearly 1,000 pages) and at times technical, it is definitely accessible for those without a science background. The Technical Summary (about 80 pages) is especially valuable and is fully cross-referenced with the more detailed chapters in the book. Every person with an opinion on climate change - whether pro or con - should read this book. It provides a sound foundation for intelligent debate. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Must read...
I originally used parts of the book for a research project, but after reading portions I decided that I must have the book and reread it from cover to cover. It has great concepts and it is well edited for a nice flow. If you like wildlife and climate change interests you this is a must read. ... Read more

Book Description
The need for effective communication, public outreach and education to increase support for policy, collective action and behaviour change is ever present, and is perhaps most pressing in the context of anthropogenic climate change. This book is the first to take a comprehensive look at communication and social change specifically targeted to climate change. It is a unique collection of ideas examining the challenges associated with communicating climate change in order to facilitate societal response. It offers well-founded, practical suggestions on how to communicate climate change and how to approach related social change more effectively. The contributors of this book come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from government and academia to non-governmental and civic sectors of society. The book is accessibly written, and any specialized terminology is explained. It will be of great interest to academic researchers and professionals in climate change, environmental policy, science communication, psychology, sociology and geography. ... Read more

Book Description
The Climate Change 2007 volumes of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provide the most comprehensive and balanced assessment of climate change available. This IPCC Working Group III volume is a state-of-the-art assessment of the scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and social aspects of the mitigation of climate change. Written by the world's leading experts, the IPCC volumes will again prove to be invaluable for researchers, students, and policymakers, and will form the standard reference works for policy decisions for government and industry worldwide. ... Read more

Book Description
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, no environmental issue is of such truly global magnitude as the issue of climate change. The poorer, developing countries are the least equipped to adapt to the potential effects of climate change, although most of them have played an insignificant role in causing it. African countries are amongst the poorest of the developing countries. This book presents the issues of most relevance to Africa, such as past and present climate, desertification, biomass burning and its implications for atmospheric chemistry and climate, energy generation, sea-level rise, ENSO-induced drought and flood, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol (especially the Clean Development Mechanism), capacity-building, and sustainable development.It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of these and many other issues, with chapters by the leading experts from a range of disciplines. Climate Change and Africa will prove to be an invaluable reference for all researchers and policy makers with an interest in climate change and Africa.Download Description
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, no environmental issue is of such truly global magnitude as the issue of climate change. The poorer, developing countries are the least equipped to adapt to the potential effects of climate change, although most of them have played an insignificant role in causing it. African countries are amongst the poorest of the developing countries. This book presents the issues of most relevance to Africa, such as past and present climate, desertification, biomass burning and its implications for atmospheric chemistry and climate, energy generation, sea-level rise, ENSO-induced drought and flood, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol (especially the Clean Development Mechanism), capacity-building, and sustainable development. It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of these and many other issues, with chapters by the leading experts from a range of disciplines. Climate Change and Africa will prove to be an invaluable reference for all researchers and policy makers with an interest in climate change and Africa. ... Read more

Book Description
Climate change threatens the future of civilization, but humanity is impotent in effecting solutions. Even in those nations with a commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions, they continue to rise. This failure mirrors those in many other spheres that deplete the fish of the sea, erode fertile land, destroy native forests, pollute rivers and streams, and utilize the world's natural resources beyond their replacement rate. In this provocative book, Shearman and Smith present evidence that the fundamental problem causing environmental destruction--and climate change in particular--is the operation of liberal democracy. Its flaws and contradictions bestow upon government--and its institutions, laws, and the markets and corporations that provide its sustenance--an inability to make decisions that could provide a sustainable society. Having argued that democracy has failed humanity, the authors go even further and demonstrate that this failure can easily lead to authoritarianism without our even noticing. Even more provocatively, they assert that there is merit in preparing for this eventuality if we want to survive climate change. They are not suggesting that existing authoritarian regimes are more successful in mitigating greenhouse emissions, for to be successful economically they have adopted the market system with alacrity. Nevertheless, the authors conclude that an authoritarian form of government is necessary, but this will be governance by experts and not by those who seek power. There are in existence highly successful authoritarian structures--for example, in medicine and in corporate empires--that are capable of implementing urgent decisions impossible under liberal democracy. Society is verging on a philosophical choice between "liberty" or "life." But there is a third way between democracy and authoritarianism that the authors leave for the final chapter. Having brought the reader to the realization that in order to halt or even slow the disastrous process of climate change we must choose between liberal democracy and a form of authoritarian government by experts, the authors offer up a radical reform of democracy that would entail the painful choice of curtailing our worldwide reliance on growth economies, along with various legal and fiscal reforms. Unpalatable as this choice may be, they argue for the adoption of this fundamental reform of democracy over the journey to authoritarianism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Naive Scientists
On their title page:

"[T]he authors conclude that an authoritarian form of government is necessary, but this will be governance by experts and not by those who seek power."

This is hardly a new phenomenon. Karl Popper devoted one volume of the "Open Society and its Enemies" to Plato, whose vision of an ideal society was one ruled by disinterested philosopher kings. That sounds exactly like the above quote.

Popper correctly surmises that such a society would be a totalitarian nightmare.

In addition we have "the Road to Serfdom" by Hayak which identifies the danger of assuming society can be successfully run by expert planners.The prefect example of how that comes out is the former Soviet Union's central economic planning, which resulted in famines and poverty for the proles.

Just remember, the desire for power will, sooner or later, result in the experts, no matter how competent or sincere, being replaced by those who seek to game the system for their own ends.When that happens, we will see a totalitarian system, with totalitarian solutions.

Genocide, anyone?Sure would cut the ol' carbon footprint if you could just feed all those consumers and wrong-thinkers into the shredders...

"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." - H L Menken

Bottom line, the authors are no doubt sincere, but their solution is worse than the problem.

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Book Description

Questions surrounding the issue of climate change are evolving from "Is it happening?" to "What can be done about it?" The primary obstacles to addressing it at this point are not scientific but political and economic; nonetheless a quick resolution is unlikely.

Ignorance and confusion surrounding the issue-including a lack of understanding of climate science, its implications for the environment and society, and the range of policy options available-contributes to the political morass over dealing with climate change in which we find ourselves. Climate Change Policy addresses that situation by bringing together a wide range of new writings from leading experts that examine the many dimensions of the topics most important in understanding climate change and policies to combat it. Chapters consider:

• climate science in historical perspective
• analysis of uncertainties in climate science and policy
• the economics of climate policy
• North-South and intergenerational equity issues
• the role of business and industry in climate solutions
• policy mechanisms including joint implementation, emissions trading, and the so-called clean development mechanism

Customer Reviews (1)

Another climate policy book that finds nuclear energy too heated to discuss
I have the book, but you can do a search right now and attempt to find the word NUCLEAR in this older release. Dr. James Lovelock was right (see his REVENGE OF GAIA). Well-meaning researchers have a built-in and historic bias against nuclear energy as a policy/techology option to quell carbon emissions. And that bias has to be exposed for what it is: ignorance and/or inadequate risk assessment.
Can one of the authors of this book please give Amazon book reviewers a reasonable explanation for this? Especially for a book published only a few years ago? Did Island Press refuse to have a nuclear policy analyst included in the mix? ... Read more