- ISBN13: 9780199548248
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Global warming is arguably the most critical and controversial issue facing the world in the twenty-first century. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise and accessible explanation of the key topics in the debate: looking at the predicted impact of climate change, exploring the political controversies of recent years, and explaining the proposed solutions. Fully updated for 2008, Mark Maslin’s compelling account brings the reader right up to date, describi… More >>
Maslin succeeds in giving the reader an overview of global warming, from the evidence for it, the mechanisms by which it occurs, and how we can expect it to progress, to the steps that might be taken to mitigate or adapt to it and the politics of doing so on a worldwide scale. Unfortunately, his exposition is often lacking when it comes to the science and often left me looking for other sources on the web to supplement the text.
For example, soon after the beginning of the first chapter Maslin cites ice core evidence, which indicates a very strong correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature over the past 650,000 years, as our main source of evidence for the role of carbon dioxide in global warming. It is not until two chapters later that he notes the objection that correlation doesn’t imply causation and provides additional evidence that carbon dioxide actually causes global warming. Another example of poor exposition is his discussion of El Nino-Southern Oscillation, supported by a detailed but cryptic diagram – the kind of diagram that would make a lot of sense to someone who already had a good understanding of ENSO – with very little additional explanation, forcing me to search the web for a better account. Such unhelpful diagrams are encountered throughout the book, culminating in a set of graphs using a fancy threshold-bifurcated model to make the very simple point that an anthropogenic (manmade, that is) change to the environment could either be reversible, or not.
In one of the last chapters of the book Maslin describes his vision of a zero-carbon future, describing the homes, workplaces, cities, etc. of the future. Ostensibly a discussion of how our lives will have to change in order to decrease our carbon footprint, the chapter is laden with irrelevant fantasy (“The community centre notice board is testimony to the number of activities occuring there.”) and bad science fiction (“Space exploration thus becomes cost-effective at the end of the 21st century.”). Subpar exposition is one thing, but gratuitously wasting the reader’s time with this kind of prattle is inexusable.
Considering the existence of a vocal minority of global warming skeptics in the scientific community, I had hoped for a less sloppy, more confidence-inspiring account of the evidence for global warming. Instead I find myself looking for a better survey of the debate so I can finally stop wondering what to think about global warming.
Rating: 2 / 5
The information contained in these 148 pages is worth more than the bloviating and obfuscating in “Global Warming and Other Eco-Myths,” “Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming,” and all the other books whose mission it is to “refute” global warming for a simple reason: the aim of the book is to explain a phenomenon with evidence, not to refute something based on a pre-determined conclusion.
Maslin gives an explanation of what global warming is, discusses the history of contemporary scientific concerns about global warming, the models for the future, the impacts of climate change, possible surprises, the political solutions offered, some possible technical alternatives that will help, and then gives his conclusion. The author is not optimistic about the political solutions thus far offered, and believes that alternative energy sources are the best solution. He says, “Though great strides forward have been made in alternative energies, it seems unlikely that these will produce energy on the scale we require in the next few decades. As I am a great believer in humanity’s adaptability, I am sure these will be available by the end of the century. But a considerable increase in investment is required if we are to convert the renewable energy by the end of the century.” In essence, if the global community acts now, argues Maslin, then the effects of climate change can be mitigated, but this will require long-term planning. “So global warming challenges the very way we organize our society.” Buy the book and educate yourself about these vital issues.
Rating: 5 / 5
This is the International Year of Biodiversity:2010. Having said
that, what about the UK Climate Change and the recent developments of other Countries’ Policies?
A very short introduction to a very long problem potentially.
The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) website is suggested.
Where does the buck stop; does it with governmental power and
authority? To a large extent, but what about ever so many people
all around the planet.
“The European Union has maintained a coordinated position on
climate change, usually speaking through its presidency.”
In this book the author offers the latest word in advanced sustainable development implementation.
Mark Maslin has written a very important book.
I strongly recommend this book.
Dag Stomberg
St. Andrews, Scotland
Rating: 5 / 5
As a novice to almost all of the issues surrounding the global warming debate, I found this book to be an informative read. The primary purpose of the book is to introduce many issues surrounding the warming of the planet, not simply the issue of the causal link between Co2 emissions and temperature change. Chapters center around issues such as the history of the debate surrounding the warming of the planet, future projections of our climate, possible surprises to the climate (e.g., adjustments in deep-ocean circulation), and political solutions to the problems created by global warming. As a result of this multifarious approach, the skeptic will not find much to assuage his doubts on the subject.
Maslin explains that the prevalence of the global warming theory was engendered by a sharp upsurge in the global annual mean temperature, what is referred to as the “hockey stick” because charts of recent temperature trends resemble a hockey stick. Yet the theory of human induced climate change was first propounded in the late 19th century but was dismissed because other factors were believed to be the source of climate adjustments. Such vacillation from climatologists over the years surely contributes to some of the skepticism regarding climate change, and their promotion of global cooling in the 70s doesn’t help their case. But Maslin believes that the short period of cooling which gave rise to the theory can be explained under the broader theory of global warming, explaining the cooling as a product of “the decadal influence of the sunspot cycle and that pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide aerosols, cooled the industrial regions of the globe” (29-30). Skeptics also purport that the correlation between Co2 and temperature is one in which rises of Co2 _precede_ a temperature rise. Maslin responds to this by referring to the work of Sir Shackleton, whose study of the last four glacial-intergalacial cycles exhibited Co2 spikes prior to increases in temperature. (I should note that this is of course an instance in which Maslin responds to skeptics, but these are unlikely to fully persuade skeptics because of the lack of specificity.)
Maslin references the IPCC report on the future impact of climate change. They project that sea levels will rise approximately 18-59cm and that the temperature will rise 1.8-4 degrees Celsius by 2100. This is the area in which there are the most uncertainties. For instance, climatologists are unaware of how much galactic cosmic rays and clouds will effect the development of the climate, a point acceded by Maslin. Maslin also discusses what he calls “suprises” that global warming could present. Gas hydrates, a greenhouse gas 21 times as strong as Co2, which are stored below the world’s oceans and permafrost could be released as a result of the heating of these latter entities. Other examples are reviewed including the potential for a transformation of the Amazon into a Savannah environment.
This is a good book on the topic. It covers a lot of information in a small amount of space. But this may be a source of one of the problems I had with the book: too much convoluted material for an introduction. At times the book’s perpetual references to geological and scientific terminology and theory can be overwhelming for someone without a background in the field. A reduction of the issues covered, in favor of further explanation of those covered, may have made for a better introduction. Furthermore, the charts and diagrams in the book are sometimes extraordinarily difficult to understand in their present context; surely, he could have done a better job with these. Also, Maslin didn’t dive into the issue of Co2/temperature link as much as I would’ve liked him to. Others have complained about the inanity of the last chapter–his vision of a zero-carbon world. The complaints, I believe, are justified, but the chapter is only 6 pages, so don’t avoid the book on account of this!
Rating: 4 / 5
If you are looking for a brief, but thorough survey of the issues surrounding, this should do ya. Maslin covers the wide range of concepts touching the subject in a clear, if sometimes technical, manner. As he demonstrates, while the fact of global warming is beyond dispute, there are a host of issues about which there is uncertainty. Maslin presents each of these issues, states clearly what the arguments for and against are, and clarifies what scientists need to know to understand it with greater precision. Ocean currents, the capacity of forests to absorb greenhouse gases, the political difficulties surrounding doing something to forestall serious environmental catastrophe — all of these are dealt with fairly and honestly.
Maslin is clearly worried about the prognosis for planet earth. He presents a range of either possible or probable scenarios if some kind of global and organized cooperation between nations is not undertaken to deal with global warming. He cites scientific and economic studies showing that as much of 20% of the global GDP going towards the effects of global warming by the end of the 21st century (as opposed to 1%-2% now) if something is not done to counter the effects of global warming.
The only part of the book that I disliked was the closing section, which presented a fantasy of the green city of the future. It isn’t merely that the picture presented seems unlikely, it was written in a sappy prose style that reminds me of some of the simplistic social service cartoons that were made in the 1950s. In Maslin’s defense, he took that section from another scholar, which he plainly admits. The book would have been stronger without it.
Apart from that one section I found this to be an accessible, if sometimes technical, introduction to what is the dominant issue of our age.
Rating: 4 / 5