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Customer Reviews (59)

Ok..
The book I ordered was supposed to be hardcover but when I got it in the mail it turned out to be paperback. Other than that everything was fine.

Sarah Hofflander Review
In 2006, it was estimated that nearly 29 million pounds of carbon dioxide were emitted into Earth's atmosphere.This number is extremely alarming in terms of the issues of global climate change. It is now widely believed that greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, are trapped within the Earth's atmosphere therefore resulting in dangerous effects to life on the planet. Rising temperatures, severe drought, extinction of certain species, and melting to ice sheets and glaciers are only a handful of negative consequences provoked by global climate change.
Author Elizabeth Kolbert addresses the issues of global climate change in her book entitled, Field Notes From a Catastrophe. The book consists of two sections: the first segment`s focal point is evidence of the phenomenon occurring in nature. The second half of the book explores the human activity that has contributed to global warming and whether or not the proper action is being taken to reduce what has already occurred. Despite the issues' complexity, the book is simplistic enough for first time exposure to the issue, yet still provides great insight for those well informed on the topic.
As previously mentioned, the first half of the book focuses the causes and effects from global climate change. Kolbert takes a trip around the world to experience the direct effects of climate change firsthand. Her journey begins in Shishmaref, Alaska where she encounters two main positive feedback loops that have become detrimental to the environment. The first feedback loops can be found in rapid melting of the glaciers. As the glaciers are continuing to melt, sea levels are rising and thus flooding the coastal regions. Humans who once inhabited these areas have now been forced to find homes farther inland.The second loop is a product of the melting permafrost which is releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect. A similar occurrence is taking place in Greenland where glaciers are rapidly melting as well. This fresh water released from these glaciers is altering ocean currents and thus causing climates to be colder or warmer. In addition to melting of glaciers, Kolbert emphasizes the migration of animal's species northward and the extinction of others due to increased temperatures.
Although Kolbert doesn't directly state causes to global climate change, she includes a chapter about human influence on the environment. Carbon emissions from humans were historically stable until we reached our industrialized era. Once our society became more developed, our carbon dioxide emissions doubled. This is detrimental to life on Earth since this carbon is trapped inside our atmosphere and not only increasing global temperatures but also burning a hole in our ozone layer. This is a huge concern since ozone absorbs harmful rays emitted from the sun that are detrimental to human life.
The second half of Kolbert's book discusses how human influences have contributed to global climate and actions that are being taken to reduce its effects. This half begins by exploring the theory that ancient civilizations, such as the Mayans and Shekhna, experienced the tragic effects of global warming as well. Evidence posed by scientists show patterns of droughts in these areas whose severity ultimately lead to wiping out the entire population of humans and species. Now that both current and historical evidence have been factored into proving the phenomenon, Kolbert asks what is exactly being done to combat this? The answer to this is complicated with remainder of the book highlighting various actions taken by different counties.
In the Netherlands for example, the issue of global climate change is being embraced. Recently, the country has experienced reoccurring patterns of widespread flooding in which new innovations are being made to construct roads and homes that have the ability to float. It has been recognized that humans need to give more room to rivers rather than trying to push them back. Not all countries are making great efforts however. In theory, the United States is addressing the issue, however actions prove otherwise. When the Kyoto Protocol, a plan presented by the UN for industrialized countries to reduce emission of greenhouse gases, was introduced, the U.S. rejected the plan within 24 hours of its proposal. In addition politicians such as George W. Bush have proposed plans that would help greenhouse emissions steadily decline, yet the United State's emissions have only shown patterns of continuous increase. Hopefully this pattern will soon change.
Overall, the book is well worth reading. Kolbert's main argument about the reality of global warming is backed by strong, credible evidence. What makes the evidence so strong and credible is a handful of factors. First, Kolbert herself visited places all around the globe from Alaska to the Netherlands, to Greenland and Washington D.C., just to name a few. In visiting all these places, Kolbert proves that climate change is indeed a global issue that is in desperate need of more attention. In addition to traveling to such places Kolbert conducts many interviews with not only a number of experts but locals as well. Between her personal experience, science, and other's observations Kolbert provides many different viewpoints on the issue that all have the same conclusions: global climate change is a real thing. In this, Kolbert offers an array of perspectives on the matter rather than just one to prove her point.
Another factor that contributes to the book's excellence is the way in which the book was written. Specifically, the language and organization throughout the book make it an easy read. The way in which Kolbert wrote the book breaks the problem down enough for the common reader to understand yet is still well written enough for even the informed reader. As far as organization goes, Kolbert first focuses on global warming and its effects, then proceeds in the second half to talk about actions being taken to reduce the problem. Structuring the book in the manner sucks a reader in. If the two sections were to have been reversed, solutions then problems, a reader would have been less connected with the problem and the book would have been much more difficult to get through.
One additional factor that made the book appealing was the United State's reaction to the phenomenon. Kolbert discusses how historically and currently the U.S. has been the largest emitter of greenhouse gages, yet we are lagging in taking responsibility for it. Kolbert argues that because the U.S. is the biggest contributor that they are the ones who should be leading the fight against global climate change. She points out that the U.S. has the ability to set examples for the rest of the world, especially for other industrialized countries like China. She makes an excellent point that the goal of every country is to modernize like the United State yet if they were to follow the same patterns as the United States, humankind and the Earth would be in tremendous trouble. Ultimately, The U.S. needs to start taking advantage of its leading role and put it to good use and needs to do it sooner rather than later.

Insightful, Easy-to-Read Exploration into Global Warming
I don't usually read environmental books but I couldn't put this down.Kolbert explores the issues facing the environment today, forcing the reader to consider what needs to be done to save the planet.

Kolbert: Field Notes from a Catastrophe
If you were to read one and only one book regarding climate change, this should be that one.

Cheaper than the school bookstore.
I had a nazi austrailian English 1102 teacher who based the whole class on global warming and this was required for the class. It is a quick read and explains global warming pretty well, I got it here because it was cheaper than the bookstore. ... Read more

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Climate change is changing the context of planning and shaping its priorities. It has strengthened the environmental dimension of spatial planning and has become a new rationale for coordinating actions and integrating different policy priorities.
This book provides authoritative guidance for spatial planners on how to meet the economic, social and environmental challenges that climate change raises for urban and regional development. It brings together some of the recent research and scholarly works on the role of spatial planning in combating climate change.
Addressing both mitigation measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to the effects of climate change, the book provides an overview of emerging practice, with analysis of the drivers of policy change and practical implementation of measures.
It scopes planning issues and opportunities at different spatial scales, drawing on both the UK and international experiences and highlighting the need to link global and local responses to shared risks and opportunities. ... Read more

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The Middle Holocene epoch (8,000 to 3,000 years ago) was a time of dramatic changes in the physical world and in human cultures. Across this span, climatic conditions changed rapidly, with cooling in the high to mid-latitudes and drying in the tropics. In many parts of the world, human groups became more complex, with early horticultural systems replaced by intensive agriculture and small-scale societies being replaced by larger, more hierarchial organizations. Climate Change and Cultural Dynamics explores the cause and effect relationship between climatic change and cultural transformations across the mid-Holocene (c. 4000 B.C.).

* Explores the role of climatic change on the development of society around the world
* Chapters detail diverse geographical regions
* Co-written by noted archaeologists and paleoclimatologists for non-specialists ... Read more

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The third volume of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides an in-depth analysis of the costs and benefits of different approaches to mitigating and avoiding climate change. It includes a detailed assessment of costs and potentials of mitigation technologies and practices, implementation barrier, and policy options for the sectors: energy supply, transport, building, industry, agriculture, forestry and waste management. This volume will be an essential reference to all those concerned with climate change, including students and researchers, analysts and decision-makers in governments and the private sector. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Definitive Resource on Climate Change
The IPCC Climate Change reports once every five years are the absolute definitive resource for understanding global warming and climate change.Anybody wishing to understand climate change in a neutral atmosphere (the reports are amazingly free of politics) can do no better than to read all three volumes of the latest IPCC climate change report.This third volume focuses on ways to prevent or reduce harmful climate change (mitigation of climate change).

Just four caveats:
1)It helps to have a solid understanding of basic science terms and principles before reading this;

2)The text can be a little dry at times (after all, it is a scientific report);

3) The report was a little out-of-date by the time it was printed, because our understanding of climate change impacts have increased greatly since the basic research was conducted that was synthesized and placed into this report; and

4)If you are new to reading about climate change, this should probably not be your introduction to the subject (see caveats 1 and 2 above). You can buy four or five terrific climate change books for the price of this one volume alone - for example, Hell and High Water by Joseph Romm, Heat by George Monbiot, Boiling Point by Ross Gelbspan, The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery, and With Speed and Violence by Fred Pearce.

Until the next IPCC report is released in 2013, this third volume on Mitigation of Climate Change is worthy of reading if you want to get to the basic science of climate change. ... Read more

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The United States, once a world leader in addressing international environmental challenges, became a vigorous opponent of action on climate change over the past two decades, repudiating regulation and promoting only ineffectual voluntary actions to meet a growing global threat. Why has the United States failed so utterly to address the most pressing environmental issue of the age? This book argues that the failure arose from an unyielding ideological stance that embraced free markets and viewed government action as anathema. The most notorious result of this hands-off approach was the financial meltdown of late 2008; but strict reliance on free markets also hobbled government policymakers' response to the challenge of global warming. This book explores the relationship between free-market fundamentalism and U.S. inaction on climate change and offers recommendations for new approaches that can lead to effective climate-change policy and improve environment, health, and safety policies in general.

After describing the evolution of U.S. climate change policy and the influence of neoliberal economic thought, the book takes up the question of what ideas might supersede the neoliberal reliance on cost-benefit analysis, overly broad market-based mechanisms, and rejection of precautionary approaches and environmental justice concerns. With a new administration in Washington, the need for a new policy framework is acute; this book supplies a timely guide to the kinds of policies that are most promising.

Contributors: Frank Ackerman, John S. Applegate, Carl Cranor, David M. Driesen, Robert L. Glicksman, Lisa Heinzerling, Thomas O. McGarity, Chris Schroeder, Amy Sinden, Joe Tomain, Robert R. M. Verchick

American and Comparative Environmental Policy series ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Economic Thought and U.S. Climate Change Policy (MIT Press)
New from MIT Press, comes "Economic Thought and U.S. Climate Change Policy,"edited by environmental policy writer and Syracuse University law professor, David Driesen. The book acts as a survey of articles chronicling events over recent decades that have sought to improve the climate situation or more often, restrict advances in climate control, mostly through patterns of corporate abuse and/or undue influence on governmental environmental guidelines and agencies. In a series of articles on overlapping subjects (i.e. Kyoto, cap and trade, the effect of the neo-liberals, Republican obstructionism), "Economic Thought" portrays a heavy-duty, multi-faceted attempt to limit restrictions on pollution controls and fossil fuel policies to achieve results that are often less than surface appearances would suggest. A prevailing theme throughout the book reveals how the public is constantly led to believe that laws representing one thing are in effect (cap and trade being a large culprit) when reality dictates a substantially different result (the examples of companies receiving trade credits when polluting factories are taken off line vs. employing actual restrictions on existing plants are but one example of this deception.) Filled with information that close observers may already know, the book nonetheless brings together a variety of sources to assemble an effective overview of the issue from the industrial revolution to the Obama administration (though much of its concern centers around the EPA, the Clean Air Act and the administrations of both Reagan and Bush, 43.) ... Read more

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What the ice tells us about the past may help us understand the future of ice, and us, on Earth.

Planet Ice documents the beauty and the power of ice and its unique role in revealing the changing condition of the planet. Glaciers and ice fields are critical to the health of our world--and we are making them disappear.

Pairing the striking glacier photography of James Martin with essays by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, polar bear expert Ian Stirling, ice scientist Richard Alley, glaciologist Gino Casassa, and noted writers Gretel Ehrlich, Nick Jans, and Broughton Coburn, Planet Ice examines the characteristics of polar, mountain, and tropical ice. It also explores human concepts of ice and wilderness; the lives of penguins, polar bears, and other fauna that depend on ice; the far-reaching effects of climate change; and our responsibilities as stewards of the natural world. Yet this is not just a book of science. Together, these authors illuminate the profound connection between ice--a substance that is at once mutable and forceful--and the wellbeing of our global community.

*Photographer has spent 15 years documenting ice all over the world
*Book is part of a funded multi-media advocacy campaign
*Climate change and melting ice will remain front page news for years to come ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Planet Ice: A stunning worldwide survey of ice on the planet and its relation to climate change
Firstly, the photography in Planet Ice is truly astonishing. The fifteen years that James Martin spent photographing ice, animals and the outdoors shows in this gorgeous account of the rapidly changing ice on earth. This book provides a comprehensive - and stunning - visual view of the true nature of climate change, supported by leaders in the fields on paleoclimatology, glaciology, ice climbing, polar bears and etc. With essays by such voices as Patagonia founder Yvonne Chouinard, glaciologist Gino Casassa, and ice scientist Richard Alley, a well-formed picture of the disturbing truth about our rapidly changing earth is painted and elegantly documented in Martin's images. Whether your desire is to have a deepened understanding of global climate change or to admire exquisitely captured pictures of ice formations, wildlife and wild lands, you're sure to find something special in Planet Ice. ... Read more

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For more information on this title, including student exercises, please visit , http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/DAColey/

Energy and Climate Change: Creating a Sustainable Future provides an up-to-date introduction to the subject examining the relationship between energy and our global environment. The book covers the fundamentals of the subject, discussing what energy is, why it is important, as well as the detrimental effect on the environment following our use of energy. Energy is placed at the front of a discussion of geo-systems, living systems, technological development and the global environment, enabling the reader to develop a deeper understanding of magnitudes.

Learning is re-enforced, and the relevance of the topic broadened, through the use of several conceptual veins running through the book. One of these is an attempt to demonstrate how systems are related to each other through energy and energy flows. Examples being wind-power, and bio-mass which are really solar power via another route; how the energy used to evaporate sea water must be related to the potential for hydropower; and where a volcano’s energy really comes from.

With fermi-like problems and student exercises incorporated throughout every chapter, this text provides the perfect companion to the growing number of students taking an interest in the subject. ... Read more

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Discusses the increasing importance of accurate climate forcasting and its effect on many facets of human life, particularly as the demand for food and fiber continues to rise, fueled by population growth and incomes primarily in developing countries. DLC: Climate changes--Social aspects. ... Read more

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Small Island Developing States are often depicted as being among the most vulnerable of all places to the effects of climate change, and they are a cause célèbre of many involved in climate science, politics and the media. Yet while small island developing states are much talked about, the production of both scientific knowledge and policies to protect the rights of these nations and their people has been remarkably slow.

This book is the first to apply a critical approach to climate change science and policy processes in the South Pacific region. It shows how groups within politically and scientifically powerful countries appropriate the issue of island vulnerability in ways that do not do justice to the lives of island people. It argues that the ways in which islands and their inhabitants are represented in climate science and politics seldom leads to meaningful responses to assist them to adapt to climate change. Throughout, the authors focus on the hitherto largely ignored social impacts of climate change, and demonstrate that adaptation and mitigation policies cannot be effective without understanding the social systems and values of island societies. ... Read more

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Awareness that many key aspects of public health are strongly influenced by climate is growing dramatically, driven by new research and experience and fears of climate change and the research needed to underpin policy developments in area is growing rapidly. This awareness has yet to translate into a practical use of climate knowledge by health policy-makers. Evidence based policy and practice is the mantra of the health sector. If climate scientists are to contribute effectively to health policy at local and global scales then careful empirical studies must be undertaken focused on the needs of the public health policy and decision-makers.

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Customer Reviews (3)

Smartest book about the smart grid
This is the densest book on this subject. It is loaded with facts and solid analysis. If you are looking for substance. this is the one.

An excellent overview
For energy policy wonks, this is an excellent overview. It has breadth and depth. Two aspects stand out: His dissection of the business model of utilities, and his detachment. I mean that in a good way. This is neither a polemic nor fluff, but a reasoned, knowledgeable analysis.

Book Review on Smart Power
(For a complete review, see bit.ly/cIG16J)
I have heard bits and pieces of information about how power was generated and transported, with problems like deregulation, in the past. I always wanted to read a book that provides a comprehensive view of the present and the future power industry with their new challenges. I think I finally have found it. Fox-Penner's book is so well organized that those who are not familiar with the power industry can understand where it was, where it is now, and where it is going. This naturally leads to the discussion of smart grid and how it relates to the new challenges in the power industry. The author's description and opinions are very convincing, and his view serves as a good guide to the future of the power industry, not only in the U.S. but also in the world.

The U.S. power industry is very complex. The main players are federal, state, and local regulatory agencies; investors; utilities of several kinds; transmission and distribution companies; retailers; and, of course, consumers. Those players' interests are intertwined in a complex fashion. Their relationships are sometimes positive and sometimes negative. The complexity comes from several problems of significant magnitude. The author discusses those problems and presents a lot of information and statistics, to my satisfaction. Then on the basis of the vast amount of data and information he collected and analyzed, the author predicts two types of future utilities, namely, SI and ESU. I particularly liked the way he explained smart grid in the context of smart power. ... Read more

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The impact of climate change on seven regions of the United States is studied in this new collection. The basic hypothesis of the study is that warming would be beneficial to the economies of the colder northern regions but harmful to the economies of the warmer more southern regions. This is confirmed in a careful set of sectoral studies applied to each region. Because of its importance, two methods are used to study agriculture. Agriculture is analyzed using both an agronomic-economic simulation model and a cross-sectional Ricardian analysis. The two capital-intensive sectors affected by climate are analyzed with explicit dynamic models. A dynamic ecological-economic model is applied to forestry and a dynamic sea-level rise model is applied to study coastal impacts. A hydrologic-economic simulation model of selected watersheds is used for water and a cross-sectional empirical approach is used for energy. In each case, a national model is estimated and results are desegregated to the regional level. Because the study focuses on including efficient adaptation responses, the special role of adaptation is discussed in detail.The book concludes with a discussion of the impacts across the country and in each region. Any reader interested in climate change and its impacts should find this book of detailed results enlightening. The book is especially useful for people interested in studying impact methodologies. ... Read more

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Droughts. Floods.
Climate refugees.
Global warming isn't just about polar bears anymore.

Customer Reviews (9)

A solid overview of the possible impacts of global warming
I receive alarmist and conspiracy-theory emails from a dear friend and I love her anyway. Over the past year or so, she has been led to believe, based on the writings of a few with an angry politically-based agenda, that global warming does not exist and that for example, ex-VP Al Gore and others are pushing this "unproven theory" because he has investments in technologies that would "profit" from global warming.
Whew!
My gut tells me their opinions are nonsense. I have been somewhat desperate to find a non-technical book that would explain the science and the documented climate record and the possible future effects on the planet in a way I can understand. I needed a book I could understand while tired at night with one elbow on the pillow and eyelids growing heavy.
This is just the book. Cullen is a seasoned journalist and researcher who writes clearly and piles up her facts well. Personally, I never felt I needed to be convinced about the "reality" of global warming, but if I had some doubts as the rising tide of conspiracy theory emails arrived in my email in-basket, this book put those little doubts to rest.
I recommend this book to the intelligent (like me), informed, but non-science-oriented reader who needs to have a basic understanding of this issue and how it will become ever more pressing and crucial in the days to come.

A striking, dramatic survey key to any general or science lending library
The Weather of the Future: Heat Waves, Extreme Storms, and Other Scenes from a Climate-Changed Planet offers a fine, serious look at how the world will look in 2050 if the current levels of carbon emissions are maintained. Climate change is no longer a future worry: it's a present-day phenomenon that affects current lives. Chapters use the latest scientific research to examining real-world scenarios and at-risk locations around the world in a striking, dramatic survey key to any general or science lending library.

Very disappointing
I was relatively excited when I heard about this book, since our future as a species interests me greatly.It belongs to the genre of post-global warming books, wherein global warming is taken as a given and human inaction is assumed, leading to dire consequences and reflections on our suicidality.Others in the same category include James Hansen's book Storms of my grandchildren, Six Degrees, Requiem for a species, and my personal favourite, Down to the wire.All these are actually better written and more gripping that Heidi Cullen's book.My chief complaint about it is that most of the book is given over to interviews with other climatologists and scientists who discuss their particular expertises.The whole fails to come together as a result, and the author's own opinions are often missing in action.Several chapters appear to be one interview after another stitched together with some relatively boilerplate style writing.Probably this style of overdramatic pronouncement sounds good on TV but it really falls flat for me when read.
In the first section of the book she summarizes the evidence for global warming and the state of current thinking, material which has been covered extensively by now in many, many books.The bulk of the book discusses individual areas of the world and how they will be affected.These chapters are very uneven, with some interesting analyses, and some that simply fail altogether.As an example of the latter there is the discussion about the Inuit, who have a lifestyle obviously completely based on sea-ice and snow.There is no contemplation about how their entire lifestyle will change when there is neither ice nor snow, which is exactly what one would have expected.Instead there is the false dramatic ending: "but they will adapt, as they always have."Will they?If they all wind up on welfare with no lifestyle to speak of, is that adapting, or a very tragic ending to their culture?There is no consideration of these issues.What about the chance that others from further south will come up and take over their land and drive them out?To me this seems a very likely possibility.Another very disappointing ending occurs in the Bangladesh chapter, which we all know will end horribly tragically.Will millions of them move to Russia?Of course not.Yet she has the gall to say at the end of the chapter, millions will be climate refugees into India.Will they?What about the wall that was mentioned earlier, that India is building to keep such millions out of its country? It seems quite obvious that when India is starving itself, it's hardly likely bangladeshis will be welcomed.More likely there will be a lot of starvation and a lot of war, let's hope not world-wide.
The worst chapter is the epilogue, in which she discusses the end of the akkadian empire as a result of changing climate and the tragic story of Easter Island.The latter was much better discussed by Jared Diamond in Collapse, and the author actually quotes from him here.Not an impressive finish to borrow from another writer as a conclusion.
Here is an example of poor writing from the New York chapter I can't resist quoting (or paraphrasing): " in 2050 when Hurricane Xavier sprang up from the bathtub of the atlantic had finally arrived people sat back and watched it like the world series."What?? They watched a hurricane destroy Manhattan like a baseball game ?My jaw dropped when I read this, the last paragraph of the chapter.There was not much imagination applied to the effects of the hurricane on Manhattan here.Simple stating that repairs will be costly is a failure of storytelling completely.

In summary I don't really recommend this book at all, in comparison to the aforementioned post-climate change books, Jim Hensen's in particular is one that I would reread every year (until his prophecies come to pass).

The sky is falling!
This book is adisappointment; it is not a legitimate work of science, despite the author's impressive credentials. It is fear-mongering, with worst-case scenarios presented as our future.To be fair, the book starts out well, with some good background on the history of climate science. Unfortunately, after that it becomes simply an attempt to scare the reader with dire predictions. These predictions are far from certainties. I don't know, for example, what the weather in New York in 2050 will be--and I don't think Dr.Cullen does either.

A climate scientist named Mike Hulme has once said, "The language of catastrophe is not the language of science." The Weather of the Future would make an interesting Hollywood movie, but it fails as a persuasive analysis of climate change.There are far better books on this subject, for instance, Claire Parkinson's recent book, Coming Climate Crisis. If your goal is scaring your friends, get them Weather of the Future. If you want a rational analysis of the issue, try another book.

The Weather of the Future (Harper)
For a look at what the world may look like in the event that we do little or nothing to combat carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, comes "The Weather of the Future" (Harper) by meteorologist/climatologist, Heidi Cullen. Cullen, a research scientist at the non-profit outfit, Climate Central, (and former host of the Weather Channel's `Forecast Earth') describes in detail what is likely to occur at seven different hot-spot locations around the planet in the wake of elevated temperatures and rising waters. Using predictive modeling from a variety of accredited sources, Cullen describes what effects can be expected in areas from New York City (major hurricanes, rampant flooding) to Bangladesh (becoming a massive refugee state) to the farm regions of Central California (massive drought) as well as the implications for Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Greenland's arctic ice cap and others. Using data models from NASA, the IPCC, MIT, the California Climate Change Center and others, Cullen predicts a seismic shift in global weather patterns, sea life, agriculture and terrain that, while may be off in some meaningful ways (as expected in a 50 year prediction) certainly cover the range of detailed possibilities awaiting our future. Her personal, yet readable account, is of course, speculative in nature, but with all the research and modeling referenced here and elsewhere, it's hard not to believe that somewhere in these patterns lies our own inconvenient truth. ... Read more

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Once the province of think tanks, academics, and global agencies such as the UN, climate change has finally penetrated the world's consciousness. To date, international attention has focused primarily on the industrial and energy sectors. However, the agriculture, forestry, and land use sector is a major driver of the climate change problem and, thus, must be an integral part of the solution. In this wide-ranging volume, international experts explain the links between climate change and forests, highlighting the potential role of this sector within emerging climate policy frameworks and carbon markets. After framing forestry activities within the larger context of climate-change policy, the contributors analyze the operation and efficacy of market-based mechanisms for forest conservation and climate change. Drawing on project examples from around the world, the authors present concrete recommendations for policymakers, project developers, and market participants. They discuss sequestration rights in Chile, carbon offset programs in Australia and New Zealand, and emerging policy incentives at all levels of the U.S. government.The book also explores the different voluntary schemes for carbon crediting, provides an overview of carbon accounting best practices, and presents tools for use in future sequestration and offset programs. It concludes by considering a range of incentive options for slowing deforestation and protecting the world's remaining forests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An absolute must for any environmental discussion and for community and college library environmental collections
Could the ultimate and most effective weapon against global warming be smart business? "Climate Change and Forests: Emerging Policy and Market Opportunities" is a collection of essays focusing on environmental policies after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Looking at land use and calling upon the minds of many writers to put forth their ideas and experiences into a brain trust that readers can read over and have much to think about themselves. With a partially optimistic yet wholly realistic approach to environmental conservation that believes good business is the best way for a greener tomorrow, "Climate Change and Forests" is an absolute must for any environmental discussion and for community and college library environmental collections. ... Read more

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Climate change has become an important topic on the business agenda with strong pressure being placed on companies to respond and contribute to finding solutions to this urgent problem. This text provides a comprehensive analysis of international business responses to global climate change and climate change policy.

Embedded in relevant management literature, this book gives a concise treatment of developments in policy and business activity on global, regional and national levels, using examples and systematic data from a large number of international companies. The first part outlines the international climate policy landscape and voluntary initiatives taken by companies, both alone and together with others. The second part examines companies’ strategies, covering innovation for climate change, as well as compensation via emissions trading and carbon offsetting.

Written by well-known experts in the field, International Business and Global Climate Change illustrates how an environmental topic becomes strategically important in a mainstream sense, affecting corporate decision-making, business processes, products, reputation, advertising, communication, accounting and finance. This is a must-read for academics as well as practitioners concerned with this issue.

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Customer Reviews (1)

A terrific book on the impact of global warming
Easy to read. All the science is up to date (as of 2006), but the book put's it all into clear writing so you don't have to be a scientist to understand the issues.

It's nicely drawn as a comic book, and the characters have interesting dialogue.The comic book format makes it easier to read without getting bored or losing focus.

It's the best introductory book on climate change that I've come across, and now I'm buying copies to lend out to friends.It seems like climate change is finally a matter everyone is getting interested in, and most of us need to be caught up on what the current projections and scenarios are.This book has an introduction by George Monbiot (who spent the past 3 years researching global warming for his 2006 book "Heat").

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! ... Read more

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Over the past few years, and certainly since the publication of the "Stern Report", there has been increasing recognition that climate change is a not only an environmental crisis, but one with important social and economic dimensions. There is now a growing need for multi-disciplinary research and for the science of climate change to be usefully translated for policy-makers.

Until very recently, scientific and policy emphasis on climate change has focused almost exclusively on mitigation efforts: mechanisms and regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The success of such efforts to date is debatable. In fact, the impact of ever more stringent emission control programmes could potentially have enormous social consequences. Little effort has been expended on the exploration of a systematic evaluation of climate stabilisation benefits or the costs of adapting to a changed climate, let alone attempting to integrate different approaches. There is an increasing recognition that the key actors in the climate crisis also need to be preparing for change that is unavoidable. This has resulted in a greater consideration of vulnerability and adaptation.

The book, based on a four-year research project funded by The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) under the programme "Vulnerability, Adaptation and Mitigation" (VAM), presents a cluster of case studies of industries, communities and institutions which each show how vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation analyses can be integrated using social behavioural sciences. Each chapter makes specific recommendations for the studied industry sector, community or institution, analyses the latest research developments of the field and identifies priorities for future research.

The book argues that the inherent complexity of climate change will ultimately require a much more integrated response both scientifically - to better understand multiple causes and impacts - as well as at the scientific/policy interface, where new forms of engagement between scientists, policy-makers and wider stakeholder groups can make a valuable contribution to more informed climate policy and practice.

The book is particularly timely as the scientific research and policy debate is shifting from one of problem-framing to new agendas that are much more concerned with implementation, the improvement of assessment methodologies from a multi-disciplinary perspective, and the reframing of current scientific understanding towards mitigation, adaptation and vulnerability. A critical element in responding to the climate change challenge will be to ensure the translation of these new scientific insights into innovative policy and practice 'on the ground'. This book provides some fundamental elements to answer this need.

"The Social and Behavioural Aspects of Climate Change: Linking Vulnerability, Adaptation and Mitigation" will be essential reading for social science researchers and policy managers in the area of climate change, as well as for those who want to know what the social and behavioural sciences can contribute toward coping with climate hazards. NGOs, law firms and businesses in the energy sector or other climate related fields will also find the book of great value.

Product Description
Global climate change cannot be understood without knowing the fundamental principles of science, economics, and politics that condition our policy choices. To that end, the contributors to this volume, experts in their respective fields, take a comprehensive look at the major issues involved.

This volume is written for policymakers and informed citizenry who want to understand at a general level the complexities of global climate change without becoming enmeshed in technical minutia. The introduction emphasizes the core fact that climate change issues cut across disciplines. William Schlesinger and Gerald North explain the carbon cycle and how increased greenhouse gases impact temperature. The economics papers deal with the applicability of benefit/cost analysis and then proceed to examine the benefits of avoiding temperature change versus the costs of the various CO2 abatement options. Finally, David Victor, a Stanford political scientist, asks which policies are feasible in a world where the incentives differ dramatically among countries. The book closes with open letters to the President of the United States.

Policymakers along with academics, students and any reader interested in a broad look at the important issues in the global climate change story will find this book indispensable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Economic Analysis of Global Climate Change
"Global Climate Change - The Science, Economics, and Politics", is a collection of ten separate articles covering different aspects of global warming.The book is very strong on the economics of global warming, less strong on the politics, and weak on the science.In many ways, the book reads like a balanced, academic discussion of the pros and cons of costs and benefits between business as usual, weak mitigation efforts, and strong mitigation efforts.This attempt at balance weakens the book's message considerably, in that it leaves the reader wondering what the author's personal opinions really are on the subject.

The book was published by the Bush School of Government and Public Service, in the "New Horizons In Environmental Economics" textbook series, which explains why it's basically an economics textbook (dry reading) focused on cost/benefit analysis.

Four stars given as an economics book, but as a general book on climate change, I'd probably give it only two stars because there are so many superior books out there already covering the science and potential effects of global warming. ... Read more