Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis [Paperback]

United Nations (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 11, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0521705967 | ISBN-13: 978-0521705967

Representing the first major global assessment of climate change science in six years, Climate Change 2007 - The Physical Science Basic issued by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that our scientific understanding of the climate system and its sensitivity to greenhouse gas emissions is now richer and deeper than ever before. The chapters forming the bulk of this report describe scientists assessment of the state-of-knowledge in their respective fields. The report will be highly relevant as Governments and industry consider their options for moving forward together to address the challenge of climate change. (Includes CD-ROM)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every member of Congress should read this report."
The New York Times

Book Description

This IPCC Fourth Assessment Report volume brings us completely up-to-date on the full range of scientific aspects of climate change. A comprehensive and balanced assessment by the world's leading experts, it will be invaluable for researchers, students, and policymakers, and will form a standard reference work for policy decisions worldwide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1008 pages
• Publisher: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (February 11, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521705967
• ISBN-13: 978-0521705967
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #869,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars save a tree, get it directly from IPCC, January 8, 2009

By 

D. Mares (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis (Paperback)

If you're interested in this in depth review of the current knowledge on global warming you can directly download the report from the IPCC at

http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/ar4-wg1.htm

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Authoritative Source, January 3, 2008

By 

R. M. Smith (Bend, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis (Paperback)

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.

7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Percentage of the U.S. Population will Read This?, February 8, 2008

By 

James Safranek "Holocene Meltwater" (Steinbeck Country) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis (Paperback)

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."