| Contents Notes |
1. Global climate change : a new type of environmental problem -- 1.1. Background on climate and climate change -- 1.2. Background on climate-change policy -- 1.3. Plan of the book -- 2. Science, politics, and science in politics -- 2.1. Justifications for action : positive statements and normative statements -- 2.2. How science works -- 2.3. Politics and policy debates -- 2.4. When science and politics meet -- 2.5. Limiting the damage : the role of scientific assessments -- Further reading for chapter 2 -- 3. Climate change : present scientific knowledge and uncertainties -- 3.1. Is the climate changing? -- 3.2. Are human activities responsible for global warming? -- 3.3. What future changes can we expect? : predicting climate change over the twentyfirst century -- 3.4. What will the impacts of climate change be? -- 3.5. Conclusions -- Further reading for chapter 3 -- 4. The climate-change policy debate : impacts and potential responses -- 4.1. Impacts and adaptation -- 4.2. Emissions and mitigation responses -- 4.3. Putting it together : balancing benefits and costs of mitigation and adaptation -- 4.4. A third class of response : geoengineering -- 4.5. Conclusion : policy choices under uncertainty -- Further reading for chapter 4 -- 5. The present impasse and steps forward -- 5.1. Climate-change politics : present positions -- 5.2. Climate-change politics : the arguments against action -- 5.3. The present policy debate : use of scientific knowledge and uncertainty -- 5.4. So what should be done? : major choices and elements of an effective response -- 5.5. Conclusion -- Further reading for chapter 5 -- Appendix -- Glossary. "In this primer, Dessler and Parson combine their expertise in atmospheric science and public policy to help scientists, policy makers, and the public sort through the conflicting claims in the climate-change debate. The authors explain how scientific and policy debates work, summarize present scientific knowledge and uncertainty about climate change, and discuss the available policy options. Along the way, they explain why the debate is so confusing."--Jacket. |
