This book describes and examines the history of the decades-long effort by the UN IPCC (United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), various governments, and numerous NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to compel the nations of the world to reduce their Carbon Dioxide, CO2, emissions in hopes of minimizing the potentially catastrophic impact of `man-made global warming' on future generations.
This is a difficult and complex story to tell; partly because it involves virtually every nation on Earth, with each nation having its own problems, priorities, and policies; but also because it has taken place over a period of more than five lustrums, during which time some claim that socialism, political bias, and the corruption of climate science have played an important role in forcing the issue, while much of the process has taken place behind closed doors.
To illustrate, consider this brief summary: Despite the fact that there was no 'specific' evidence of global warming, or that carbon dioxide was causing it; a `consensus' was reached among climate scientists associated with the IPCC, who inferred that industrialization (US capitalism, in particular) was causing it. This led to a further consensus that if the world waited until there was clear evidence that the Earth `was', in fact, warming and that man, through his CO2 emissions, `was' causing it; it would be too late to act. So, although the Earth's temperature remained relatively stable at the time, the situation was deemed so critical that if decisive International action wasn't taken immediately to drastically reduce CO2 emissions world-wide; civilization, as we know it, was doomed --- sometime in the distant future. This led to a series of International Earth Summits, starting in Rio in 1988, and Conferences of the Parties (COPs), starting in Berlin in 1995, all aimed at forging an International agreement among all nations, both `developed' and `developing,' to drastically reduce and limit their carbon dioxide emissions. Little thought was given to the economic impacts of those reductions. The meetings are still on-going, but thus-far have been largely unproductive. The economic impacts of the changes made, thus far, however, have been severe.
The author of this book does an outstanding job of addressing and analyzing this complex sequence of events. But, even so, you may be a bit confused as you read the book. For, in all likelihood you'll find yourself puzzling over why those pressing for immediate Global action are so fanatical when no evidence is offered to support their belief in man-made global warming. But don't despair. When you reach the book's final chapter, `Reflections', starting on page 293, much of this will be clarified to some extent. That chapter offers a succinct overview explaining `how' it all got started and `why' the true believers are so convinced.
So, before getting into another argument over `Climate Change' around the water cooler, I strongly suggest you read this book. It will tell you everything you need to know to formulate informed and supportable arguments regarding the subject. By reading it, in fact, you may even be able to decide, once-and-for-all, whether you believe that man's activities are causing the Earth's atmospheric temperature to rise, perhaps catastrophically; or that the unstated evidence is unconvincing and that, until proven otherwise, you simply can't believe it.
In any case: based on this read, it appears that politicians, climatologists, and ideologues will continue to meet in exotic locals around the world to solve the problem of 'climate change' until, at last, they throw up their hands in despair and give up.
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The politics of climate Earth
To understand the politics of global warming, it is absolutely necessary to have knowledge of the players, related organizations and events, as they played out chronologically on the world stage. This book will provide those elements, as well as context. If believing in man made climate change is important for you, this book is not for you. It is heavily fact based as regards who or what, did what and when. Much of what the book lays out can be easily verified. Does the author have a position? Yes. It is, however, reached as a result of his research of the public record. Importantly, his thoughts in this regard, are not made in a manner of hard sell. In fact, they are secondary to the books purpose. Some persons are of the mind that no one absent a degree in a related science, should speak on a subject such as global warming. That is absurd on its face. Regardless, this book is, as stated, a history of events. It is far more based on a traditional journalistic approach than a scientific work. Read with an open mind, your reward will be a historical perspective of the age of global warming.
Top reviews from other countries
Marchespie
An excellent study of the political side of the story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2013Mike
The story of how unelected political cliques looked for a chance to force its ideology on the rest of us
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2013
Jorge Brown Segui
A welcome review on a biased subject
Reviewed in Australia on December 10, 2014
