Description
Book SynopsisThis book is a primer on the essential science for grasping the workings of climate change and climate prediction. It is accessible for readers with little to no background in science, with an emphasis on the needs of those studying sustainable development.
Trade ReviewIt is rare to find a book that succinctly explains the scientific basis for one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced. For anyone looking to learn the foundations of climate science, Mutter's primer is an excellent jump start. He covers an expansive number of topics gracefully, providing readers with the key scientific concepts at the heart of each issue. -- Solomon Hsiang, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley
John C. Mutter earned an outstanding reputation as a marine geophysicist at Columbia’s Lamont Observatory, and then turned his interest to the effects of natural and manmade disasters on humankind. His recent focus extends to the major problems looming from future climate change. His primer is a succinct review of the physics behind climate change, along with summaries of glacial-interglacial climate cycles, ENSO events, and what the future will hold. -- William F. Ruddiman, professor emeritus, Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia
Mutter guides the reader to an understanding of Earth’s climate, starting with the big picture of how the system works, to the nuances of climate variability and predictions of the future using computer models, and ultimately to future uncertainty and the substantial risks that human-induced climate change will impose on society. This is a clearly written, readable account supported by understandable diagrams of elegant simplicity. -- Edmond A. Mathez, curator and professor emeritus, American Museum of Natural History, and coauthor of
Climate Change: The Science of Global Warming and Our Energy FutureClimate Change Science provides the reader with a perfect primer to best understand Earth’s complex climate system. The reader is carefully guided through the various processes influencing our climate system and how humans are significantly disturbing this system. Strongly recommended to anyone seeking a clear picture of Earth’s climate system. -- Jeffrey T. Kiehl, climate scientist and author of
Facing Climate Change: An Integrated Path to the FutureTable of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction: Strategy and Outline of the Primer
1. Why Does Earth Have the Climate It Does?
2. Precipitation, Winds, Atmospheric Pressure, and the Origin of Climate Zones
3. Climate Dynamics: Natural Variations
4. Climate in the Future
5. Earth’s Responses to Climate Change
6. Climate and Sustainable Development: Summary and Closing Remarks
Glossary
Notes
Further Reading
Index
