Climate Affairs (A Primer)

CLIMATE AFFAIRS
A Primer
Michael H. Glantz

Climate Affairs sets forth in a concise primer the base of knowledge needed to begin to address questions surrounding the impacts of climate variability, climate change and extreme climate-related events. In so doing, it outlines a new approach to understanding the interactions among climate, society, and the environment. Chapters consider:

• the key concepts and terms in climate affairs
• the effects of climate around the world
• important but overlooked aspects of climate-society-environment interactions
• examples of societal uses, misuses, and potential uses of climate-related information such as forecasts
• a research agenda, challenges, and methodologies for future climate research

Climate Affairs draws on a range of study areas - including climate science, impacts on ecosystems and society, politics, policy and law, economics, and ethics - to address the complexity and gravity of impacts that our increasing vulnerability to climate portends. It is the first book to consider the full range of climate-related topics and the interactions among them, and will be a key resource for decision makers, as well as for students and scholars working in climate and climate related fields.

Table of Contents

5x8 - 291 pages - Tables, Figures, Photos, Appendix, Index
May 2003
Cl: $40.00 - ISBN 1-55963-918-0
Pa: $18.95 - ISBN 1-55963-919-9
World, All Languages
Science/Policy

To Order:
Island Press
Dept. 3AU, P.O. Box 7, Covelo, CA 95428
Tel: 1-800-828-1302 or 1-707-983-6432
Fax: 1-707-983-6414
email: orders@islandpress.org
web: www.islandpress.org/climateaffairs/

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Are We Entering "The Climate Century"?
• Chapter 1: What is Climate?
• Chapter 2: Climate and Society
• Chapter 3: Climate and Geography
• Chapter 4: What is Climate Affairs?
• Chapter 5: Use of Climate Information in Decision Making
• Chapter 6: How We Know What We Know
• Chapter 7: Conclusion
• Appendix: The Twentieth Century's Climate Extremes