Global Warming: A Very Short Introduction

A brief and helpful introduction to climate change.

It is weak on suggested solutions. In part this is because the author fails to recognize the complexity of finding equitable and agreed upon solutions. Those who debate the solutions presented by the author are labeled climate change deniers. It’s seems to me very few people deny climate change today, but rather they differ on the way to combat it. If we are to make progress, we must avoid demonizing other viewpoints, listen to each other and work towards a consensus solution. So many strategies to combat climate change have failed because political parties have failed to listen to each other’s concerns work together to address the issue.

Some months ago, after a particularly outrageous (but slickly produced) "documentary" on the TV about climate change and why it "wasn't" a problem, I realised that I could no longer remember as many details about climate change as I wished. I decided a short refresher was in order and turned to a number of websites, plus this book and also the "Rough Guide to Climate Change".
As a short introduction this one's not bad, but actually I feel it falls uncomfortably between a number of stools - it comes across as too scientific for a newcomer to the area, but insufficiently detailed to someone like myself looking to refresh their memory. I think the same can be said of the extent to which it deals with the social, political and economic show more implications of climate change too.
Contrary to expectations I found the Rough Guide to be the better book (though not perfect; I may review it later), with more exploration of the issues and implications and clearer and more relevant presentation of the science. Others may disagree. (I may change my mind too after I have completed a science course this year). show less

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