Climate affairs : a primer / Michael H. Glantz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Glantz, Michael H.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Climatic changes.

Environmental policy.

Human ecology.

Physical Description:

xvii, 291 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : Island Press, [2003]

Summary:

Climate Affairs sets forth in a concise primer the base of knowledge needed to begin to address questions surrounding the unknown impacts of climate change. In so doing, it outlines a new approach to understanding the interactions among climate, society, and the environment. Chapters consider:

- the key concepts and terms in climate affairs- the effects of climate around the world- important but overlooked aspects of climate-society-environment interactions- examples of societal uses, misuses, and potential uses of climate-related information such as forecasts- a research agenda, challenges, and methodologies for future climate research.

Climate Affairs draws on a range of study areas'including climate science, impacts on ecosystems and society, politics, policy and law, economics, and ethics'to address the complexity and gravity of impacts that our increasing vulnerability to climate portends. It is the first book to consider the full range of climate-related topics and the interactions among them, and will be a key resource for decision makers, as well as for students and scholars working in climate and related fields.

Contents:

Introduction: Are We Entering "The Climate Century"? 1

Reviewing the 1900s 4

Climate Roulette at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century 6

Climate Affairs in the Twenty-First Century 8

Sustainable Development 10

Chapter 1 What is Climate? 13

The Climate System 18

Climate Behavior 22

Bridging Climate and Weather 38

Chapter 2 Climate and Society 42

Three Perspectives about Climate 43

Droughts 48

Floods 50

Tropical Storms 50

Ice Storms and Frosts 53

Fires 54

Infectious Diseases 56

Urban Impacts 58

Population Migration and Climate 59

Recreation and Ecotourism 59

Financial Aspects 60

Impacts at the Global Scale 62

Chapter 3 Climate and Geography 67

North America 68

Europe 75

Latin America 78

Australia 80

Asia 83

Antarctica and the Arctic 87

Africa 89

Chapter 4 What Is Climate Affairs? 99

Climate Science 101

Climate Impacts 110

Climate Politics 123

Climate Policy and Law 141

Climate Economics 156

Climate Ethics and Equity 165

Could Weather Affairs Be Far Behind? 175

Chapter 5 Use of Climate Information in Decision Making 183

Weather- and Climate-Proofing 185

Successful Uses of Climate Information: Some Examples 193

Misuses of Climate Information (Including Forecasts) 196

Putting Forecasts in Political Context 202

Using Climate Information for Early Warning: Climate-Related Hotspots and Flashpoints 205

Forecasts Are the Answer, But What Was the Question? 212

Chapter 6 How We Know What We Know 214

Quantitative and Qualitative Methods to Assess Impacts 215

Integrated Assessment 216

Foreseeability 218

Attribution: What Impact to Blame on Which Anomaly 220

Psychological Aspects of Climate and Weather 223

Climate Ignorance Versus Climate "Ignore-ance" 228

Does Climate History Have a Future? 229

Climate Dimensions of Social Science 239

Problem Climates 242

Problem Societies 243

Political Versus Climate Boundaries: Problem Borders 245

Appendix The Twentieth Century's Climate Extremes 249

NOAA's Ranking of Twentieth Century Climate-Related Disasters 249

The WMO and Other Reviews of the Twentieth Century's Climate 255.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [257]-276) and index.

ISBN:

1559639199

OCLC:

51330499