Product Description
A million years after the birth of our sun, the violent explosion of a nearby supernova nearly ended life on Earth before it began. Over the next four and a half billion years, forces of nature shaped our planet and the life it harbored. Barely surviving the traumatic birth of the Moon, buffeted by supernovae, and bombarded by asteroids, the resilient Earth endured. And despite planet-freezing ice ages, devastating mass extinctions, and ever changing climate, life n… More >>
The Resilient Earth: Science, Global Warming and the Fate of Humanity
This book is a very pleasant read, and it is very well illustrated. The production quality is much better than one would expect from a self-published book. It would rate a higher rating if it did not promise to fairly treat the subject of global warming, and in particular the current scientific understanding of this subject, and then break that promise.
Actually, those currently leaning toward environmental skepticism will probably enjoy this a lot. Under the guise of “cutting through the hysteria and misinformation,” the bulk of the book selectively builds an argument that could be expected of an Exxon-Mobil or Saudi lobbyist – downplaying the extent of actual knowledge while highlighting every point raised by skeptics.
It alternately criticizes the IPCC reports for stating confidence intervals as percentages – a standard practice in science – and in other parts relying on those percentages to highlight those areas where uncertainty remains.
When the authors want to stress how much the Earth’s climate has changed naturally in the past, they point out that there was a time when the Antarctic was 7 degrees C colder than it is now, while sea level was 400 feet lower. Elsewhere they claim it is mere scare-mongering to worry that the 2-4 degree Celsius expected over the next century might bring more than 2 feet of sea level rise, apparently unwilling to admit that some ice sheet melting should be expected. Over and over in this book, they treat any potential threat that is not absolutely nailed down scientifically as not worth worrying about. In fact, if deniers of global warming have ever latched on to any argument in the past, it will be presented here as an important insight – even if completely discredited.
The book does in fact give copious references to other sources, and some of these are very good sources, such as the IPCC itself, NOAA, National Academy of Sciences, N.A.S.A., Scientific American, etc. The list of references (http://www.theresilientearth.com/files/pdfs/the_resilient_earth-references.pdf) is actually a very useful resource.
However, the reader should be strongly cautioned that the source document is likely to be saying something completely opposite to the point being made in this book. (e.g., http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=behind-the-hockey-stick) Probably it would be best to just check out the source documents, and then optionally read this book afterward. As an example, very few of the N.A.S.A., NOAA or NAS references support the conclusions about climate science presented in the book when taken in their entirety.
In conclusion, after attacking the notion that we are causing serious damage to the environment, the book concludes by recommending that we take action to wean ourselves from fossil fuels – via a carbon tax, building nuclear plants, etc. – similar steps to those recommended by N.A.S.A.’s James Hansen. But unfortunately, these steps appear to be politically impossible at the moment – so the most likely impact of this book is that the readers will remember the half-truths that are used to sow doubt that urgent action is needed anyway.
P.S. Although the authors trash the work in the IPCC reports throughout the work, virtually every scientific body in the world has issued official statements endorsing them, and NOT ONE scientific organizaion of any standing disputes them, now that the American Association of Petroleum Geologists has retracted it dissenting statement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change#Statements_by_organisations). If the science is that bad, wouldn’t SOME scientific organization without ties to big oil be challenging it?
Rating: 1 / 5
I am not a scientist, but I’ve done extensive reading on the subject of climate change. This book examines and analyzes every facet of the current theories advanced by scientist and non-scientist alike. I found it easy to understand, well-organized and convincing for all who bring an open mind to the discussion. The last chapter, particularly, brings home the most important point: that our species is doomed unless we continue to use proved science and effective technology to escape the inevitable end of life on this planet.
Rating: 5 / 5
This is an informative book which gives the science behind the sceptical view on the climate change debate. An excellent read if anyone wants the balance of information in a world where the media and political hype are flooding the airwaves with dramatic predictions of the world coming crashing down…
Well worth reading.
Rating: 5 / 5
Great book, well written..no kooky rants here.
If you were concerned before the book..you will be scared after it.
“The science is settled”…yeah right..
And lets chase the money trail…
Rating: 5 / 5
This should be required reading for everybody who wishes to be taken seriously on either side of the debate of the century. The debate has been almost cut off by those claiming that “The Science Is Settled”. Few people who make such a claim know 10% of the facts related here. For those wishing to know the facts, read this book.
Rating: 5 / 5