Climate Change - What the Science Tells Us

Zusammenfassung This book introduces climate change fundamentals and essential concepts that reveal the extent of the damage, the impacts felt around the globe, and the innovation and leadership it will take to bring an end to the status quo. Emphasizing peer-reviewed literature, this text details the impact of climate change on land and sea, the water cycle, human communities, the weather, and humanity's collective future. Coverage of greenhouse gases, oceanic and atmospheric processes, Pleistocene and Holocene paleoclimate, sea levels, and other fundamental topics provide a deep understanding of key mechanisms, while discussion of extreme weather, economic impacts, and resource scarcity reveals how climate change is already impacting people's lives--and will continue to do so at an increasing rate for the foreseeable future. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface ix1 Evidence of Climate Change 1Chapter Summary 1Introduction 2Climate Change is Real and it is Dangerous 6The Earth System is Changing 12Reliable Sources of Climate Change Information 19How Unusual is the Present Warming? 25Surface Temperature 26Human Fingerprints on Climate 27A Consistent Picture Emerges 31Animations and Videos 35Comprehension Questions 35Thinking Critically 36Activities 36Key Terms 362 Radiative Equilibrium 37Chapter Summary 37Earth's Energy Budget 38Anthropogenic Forcing 49Animations and Videos 67Climate Change Essay 68Comprehension Questions 68Thinking Critically 68Activities 68Key Terms 693 The Climate System 70Chapter Summary 70Weather and Climate 71The Atmosphere 71Climate Zones 74Jet Stream 88Ocean Currents Carry Heat 90Global Warming Is Changing the Ocean 92Outlook 101Animations and Videos 102Ocean Threats 102Comprehension Questions 102Thinking Critically 102Activities 103Key Terms 1034 Are Humans the Cause? 104Chapter Summary 104Mitigating Global Warming Requires Managing Carbon 105Paleoclimate 114Is Global Warming Caused by the Sun? 136Did Global Warming End After 1998? 137Do Scientists Disagree on Global Warming? 140Are Climate Data Faulty? 141Is Today's Warming Simply a Repeat of the Recent Past? 142In Conclusion 145Animations and Videos 146Comprehension Questions 146Thinking Critically 146Activities 147Key Terms 1475 Sea-Level Rise 148Chapter Summary 148Rate of Sea-Level Rise 150Sea-Level Components 164Sea-Level Impacts 176The Eemian Analogue and a Warning of Our Future 190Conclusion 190Animations and Videos 191Comprehension Questions 191Thinking Critically 191Activities 192Key Terms 1926 Modeling Climate 193Chapter Summary 193Climate Models 194Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--Assessment Report 5 205Conclusion 215Additional Considerations 216Concluding Thoughts 234Animations and Videos 235Comprehension Questions 236Thinking Critically 236Activities 236Key Terms 2377 Warming Impacts 238Chapter Summary 238Air Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in the United States 239Climate Impacts to Planning Sectors 243Climate Impacts to Geographic Regions 263Conclusion 275Animations and Video 275Comprehension Questions 275Thinking Critically 275Activities 276Key Terms 2768 Dangerous Climate 277Chapter Summary 277Extreme Weather 278Drought 286Wildfire 290Ecosystem Impacts 293Climate Sensitivity 299Carbon Trends and Implications 305Dangerous Climate 312The Socio-Economic Framework of All Humanity Is at Risk 318Animations and Videos 327Comprehension Questions 327Thinking Critically 327Activities 328Key Terms 328Key Term Glossary 329Index 337...

List of contents

Preface ix
 
1 Evidence of Climate Change 1
 
Chapter Summary 1
 
Introduction 2
 
Climate Change is Real and it is Dangerous 6
 
The Earth System is Changing 12
 
Reliable Sources of Climate Change Information 19
 
How Unusual is the Present Warming? 25
 
Surface Temperature 26
 
Human Fingerprints on Climate 27
 
A Consistent Picture Emerges 31
 
Animations and Videos 35
 
Comprehension Questions 35
 
Thinking Critically 36
 
Activities 36
 
Key Terms 36
 
2 Radiative Equilibrium 37
 
Chapter Summary 37
 
Earth's Energy Budget 38
 
Anthropogenic Forcing 49
 
Animations and Videos 67
 
Climate Change Essay 68
 
Comprehension Questions 68
 
Thinking Critically 68
 
Activities 68
 
Key Terms 69
 
3 The Climate System 70
 
Chapter Summary 70
 
Weather and Climate 71
 
The Atmosphere 71
 
Climate Zones 74
 
Jet Stream 88
 
Ocean Currents Carry Heat 90
 
Global Warming Is Changing the Ocean 92
 
Outlook 101
 
Animations and Videos 102
 
Ocean Threats 102
 
Comprehension Questions 102
 
Thinking Critically 102
 
Activities 103
 
Key Terms 103
 
4 Are Humans the Cause? 104
 
Chapter Summary 104
 
Mitigating Global Warming Requires Managing Carbon 105
 
Paleoclimate 114
 
Is Global Warming Caused by the Sun? 136
 
Did Global Warming End After 1998? 137
 
Do Scientists Disagree on Global Warming? 140
 
Are Climate Data Faulty? 141
 
Is Today's Warming Simply a Repeat of the Recent Past? 142
 
In Conclusion 145
 
Animations and Videos 146
 
Comprehension Questions 146
 
Thinking Critically 146
 
Activities 147
 
Key Terms 147
 
5 Sea-Level Rise 148
 
Chapter Summary 148
 
Rate of Sea-Level Rise 150
 
Sea-Level Components 164
 
Sea-Level Impacts 176
 
The Eemian Analogue and a Warning of Our Future 190
 
Conclusion 190
 
Animations and Videos 191
 
Comprehension Questions 191
 
Thinking Critically 191
 
Activities 192
 
Key Terms 192
 
6 Modeling Climate 193
 
Chapter Summary 193
 
Climate Models 194
 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--Assessment Report 5 205
 
Conclusion 215
 
Additional Considerations 216
 
Concluding Thoughts 234
 
Animations and Videos 235
 
Comprehension Questions 236
 
Thinking Critically 236
 
Activities 236
 
Key Terms 237
 
7 Warming Impacts 238
 
Chapter Summary 238
 
Air Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in the United States 239
 
Climate Impacts to Planning Sectors 243
 
Climate Impacts to Geographic Regions 263
 
Conclusion 275
 
Animations and Video 275
 
Comprehension Questions 275
 
Thinking Critically 275
 
Activities 276
 
Key Terms 276
 
8 Dangerous Climate 277
 
Chapter Summary 277
 
Extreme Weather 278
 
Drought 286
 
Wildfire 290
 
Ecosystem Impacts 293
 
Climate Sensitivity 299
 
Carbon Trends and Implications 305
 
Dangerous Climate 312
 
The Socio-Economic Framework of All Humanity Is at Risk 318
 
Animations and Videos 327
 
Comprehension Questions 327
 
Thinking Critic

Product details

• Authors: C Fletcher, Charles Fletcher, Chip Fletcher, Fletcher Chip
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2018
• EAN: 9781118793060
• ISBN: 978-1-118-79306-0
• No. of pages: 352
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > General, dictionaries; Klimawandel, Geowissenschaften, Weather and climate: general interest, Earth Sciences, Climatology & Palaeoclimatology, Klimatologie u. Paläoklimatologie