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 2nd 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 Intergovernmental 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.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Stay longer. Go ahead and travel, but do it smartly. Get direct flights; use a train to get around. --Boston Globe
About the Author
Bob Henson works at the internationally recognised National Center for Atmospheric Research. Henson''s previous books include the well-received Rough Guide to Weather.
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More About the Author
Robert Henson is a science journalist and meteorologist based in Boulder, Colorado, where he works as a writer and editor at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. His books include "The Rough Guide to Climate Change," which was shortlisted for the 2007 UK Royal Society Prize for Science Books, as well as "The Rough Guide to Weather" and "Weather on the Air: A History of Broadcast Meteorology," published in 2010 by the American Meteorological Society. Henson is a contributing editor of Weatherwise magazine and a frequent guest blogger for Capital Weather Gang. His interests include photography, bicycling, and popular culture.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Complex Scientific Principals Easily Presented for the Non Science Reader
March 27, 2008
Format:Paperback
I am using the Rough Guide to Climate change in a college course that I am currently taking about global warming and climate change. The second edition wasn't out when I started the class, so I started with the first edition and then switched when this edition did come out.
The book is a perfect example of how to write a science book for nonscientists. I have a degree in environmental science, but climate science involves so many disciplines that it is hard for even a trained professional to keep up and digest the information from all the various fields. Henson has done a remarkable job of taking the science and laying it out in an easy to understand way and in a very logical sequence.
The book is broken into parts in a flow that works well. The first section is about the basics of climate change, the second is about the symptoms we are or will be seeing as a result of climate change, the third is about the actual science behind climate change and the fourth presents a nicely balanced set of solutions and some of the detractors from those solutions. There is also a very comprehensive further exploration section at the rear.
The book is up to date and is, by far, the best source of scientific information available to the general reader about global warming. Buy it now...it might change your mind!
The book is a perfect example of how to write a science book for nonscientists. I have a degree in environmental science, but climate science involves so many disciplines that it is hard for even a trained professional to keep up and digest the information from all the various fields. Henson has done a remarkable job of taking the science and laying it out in an easy to understand way and in a very logical sequence.
The book is broken into parts in a flow that works well. The first section is about the basics of climate change, the second is about the symptoms we are or will be seeing as a result of climate change, the third is about the actual science behind climate change and the fourth presents a nicely balanced set of solutions and some of the detractors from those solutions. There is also a very comprehensive further exploration section at the rear.
The book is up to date and is, by far, the best source of scientific information available to the general reader about global warming. Buy it now...it might change your mind!
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Rough Guide to Climate change was a surprising masterpiece. It presents complex scientific concepts in a highly readable manner. It is extremely informative, with more perspectives on the climate change debate than other sources I have checked out. And it makes sense of the diversity of opinions in the scientific community about the ways in which global warming is and will be effecting the world. In this sense, it is a very balanced sourcebook. Most of all, it is incredibly interesting. Not only does the formatting make for constantly intriguing reading, but the content itself is very interesting. Is it too much to say that on top of it all, Henson is a great writer. Making a book like this a Rough Guide really downplays what a gem this book is. Even if you already know a lot about climate change, this book will have a great deal to teach you.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a remarkable book this is - disguised as a simple guide to climate change, but actually a very sophisticated, balanced, thoughtful analysis of the many aspects of climate change: the physical causes of climate change, the symptoms of a warming planet, what the average person can do, and the politics surrounding the entire issue.
Loaded with great information and highly readable, although it never talks down to the intended audience, which is aimed at everybody (may be too difficult for people under the age of 12). Lots of photographs and charts to help explain what climate change is, what causes it, and what the symptoms are.
The only weakness of the book, which is ironically one of its strengths, is that it is refreshingly free of a certain preachy tone that can creep into some books on the environment - however, because the book is studiously non-political, only half a page is dedicated to "lobbying for change" in the chapter titled "What You Can Do - Reducing Your Carbon Footprint and Lobbying For Action". Most of that chapter is dedicated towards small things everybody can do (adjust thermostat properly, drive hybrid cars, walk or bike, etc.). However, real change will probably only happen when entire countries set policies and laws into place that mandate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. (This is a scholarly bureaucrat writing this, after all.)
Having pointed out a minor weakness, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody wishing to learn more about climate change and global warming. The book doesn't actually let "big business" or current government leadership around the world completely off the hook - the book duly notes that conducting business as usual has gotten us into this mess, and that most businesses, and most governments have no real reason to change business as usual - after all, if they are still in business, or still in power, the status quo must be working well for them.
Loaded with great information and highly readable, although it never talks down to the intended audience, which is aimed at everybody (may be too difficult for people under the age of 12). Lots of photographs and charts to help explain what climate change is, what causes it, and what the symptoms are.
The only weakness of the book, which is ironically one of its strengths, is that it is refreshingly free of a certain preachy tone that can creep into some books on the environment - however, because the book is studiously non-political, only half a page is dedicated to "lobbying for change" in the chapter titled "What You Can Do - Reducing Your Carbon Footprint and Lobbying For Action". Most of that chapter is dedicated towards small things everybody can do (adjust thermostat properly, drive hybrid cars, walk or bike, etc.). However, real change will probably only happen when entire countries set policies and laws into place that mandate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. (This is a scholarly bureaucrat writing this, after all.)
Having pointed out a minor weakness, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody wishing to learn more about climate change and global warming. The book doesn't actually let "big business" or current government leadership around the world completely off the hook - the book duly notes that conducting business as usual has gotten us into this mess, and that most businesses, and most governments have no real reason to change business as usual - after all, if they are still in business, or still in power, the status quo must be working well for them.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worked well for class
I got this book for a winter fast paced course 2013, it met all of my expectations and helped me get a great grade in the course.
Published 3 months ago by megan salazar
5.0 out of 5 stars
Detailed Explanation About Climate Change
This book was used as a textbook for a basic college climate course I took and I highly recommend it! I had the full book read before I even needed it for my class. Read more
Published on January 13, 2011 by BBTTRR
3.0 out of 5 stars
It's ok, but not as objective as I hoped
The book covers a lot of all the things related to Climate Change.
But it's obvious which side the book's author is on, and I would wish that the discussion part would be... Read more
But it's obvious which side the book's author is on, and I would wish that the discussion part would be... Read more
Published on March 21, 2010 by D. Torp
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book Review
This is a very good book which gives me lots of useful insight of climate and our environment:
Published on February 22, 2010 by Christine Liu
1.0 out of 5 stars
Great Science Fiction (not!)
Mr. Henson's book makes for a rather dull speculative read. For all the so called facts and figures, most of his sources are from the same scientists and organizations responsible... Read more
Published on January 25, 2010 by El Gringo de Panama
1.0 out of 5 stars
Little climate change science
The table of contents indicates this book contains very little analysis of climate change over the last 3 million years. Read more
Published on January 4, 2010 by Kerby Bouchard
4.0 out of 5 stars
Complete but distracting format
This book seems to have gained the status of being a go-to reference for those who are interested in global warming and one of the few books that global warming skeptics claim to... Read more
Published on December 30, 2009 by J. Dykstra
4.0 out of 5 stars
very broad overview
This book gives a quick overview of a very broad subject. It presents clear outlines of the science of global warming, what the current and possible future impacts of climate... Read more
Published on November 7, 2009 by Barry A. Klinger
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works well as supplementary text book
I am currently teaching a course to upper level college science students about climate change. Compared with the other texts that focus on the politics/policy/public perception... Read more
Published on October 8, 2009 by E. Mauritz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Reinforcement
Having made generous use of the "Look Inside" feature to examine the book, it is clear that the author has produced a superb reinforcement for the true believers in anthropogenic... Read more
Published on October 3, 2009 by R. Baron
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