Includes bibliographical references (pages 161-162) and index.

Explains the problems that threatens our planet's environmental systems. A new science of the earth -- Lessons from the geologic past -- System interactions : atmosphere, oceans, land, and humans -- Humanity : an agent of global environmental change -- Global warming -- Food, water, and changing climate -- Coastlines and rising seas -- Ozone layer and ultraviolet radiation -- Vanishing forests and vanishing species -- Lakes, forests, and acid deposition -- Global change and our common future -- Appendix A. Selected reading ; Appendix B. Forum on Global Change and Our Common Future : agenda and speakers -- Appendix C. Committee on Global Change and oversight committee members -- Appendix D. Letter on global environmental change to President-Elect Goerge Bush from the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.