Climate change is one of the most controversial and misunderstood issues of the 21st century. This book provides a clear understanding of the issue by presenting scientific facts to refute falsehoods and misinformation—and to confirm the validity of other assertions. Is public understanding of global warming suffering from politically biased news coverage? Is it true that the global scientific community has not reached a consensus on whether humans are causing climate change? This important book addresses these questions and many more about global warming, identifying common claims about climate change and using quantifiable, evidence-based information to examine their veracity. The authors of this work examine 35 specific claims that have been made about global climate change by believers and skeptics. These assertions—some true, some false—will guide readers to a much deeper understanding of the extent of climate change; whether any climate change that is taking place is human-caused; whether climate change is likely to be a serious problem in the future; whether scientists agree on the fundamentals of climate change; and whether climate change impacts can be mitigated. Examples of specific issues that are scrutinized and explained in the book include: trends in the extent and condition of Arctic and Antarctic Sea ice packs, the accuracy of climate forecasting models, whether extreme weather events are increasing as a result of climate change, and the benefits and drawbacks of various schemes to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
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Climate change is one of the most controversial and misunderstood issues of the 21st century. This book provides a clear understanding of the issue by presenting scientific facts to refute falsehoods and misinformation-and to confirm the validity of other assertions.
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Acknowledgments Introduction 1 The Evidence Regarding Climate Change Q1. What Is Happening to Sea Ice in the Arctic? Q2. What Is Happening to Sea Ice in the Antarctic? Q3. What Is Happening to Glaciers and Ice Sheets? Q4. Do Global Average Surface Air Temperatures Show Warming? Q5. Do Satellites Using "Thermometers in Space" Show a Warming Trend in Earth's Lower Atmosphere? Q6. How Might Global Warming Be Causing Record Cold Winters in Some Places? Q7. How and Why Has the Pace of Global Warming Changed Over Time? Q8. What Do the "Climategate" Hacked E-Mails Show about Climate Science? 2 The Causes of Climate Change Q9. Is Human Activity the Main Driver of Modern Climate Change? Q10. How Does Modern Global Warming Compare to the So-Called Medieval Warm Period? Q11. What Is the "Hockey Stick" and How Accurate a Picture Does It Provide of Global Climate Change? Q12. What Role Does the Sun Play in Global Temperature Rise? Q13. How Has Climate Been Changing on Mars and Other Planets? Q14. Is the Ozone Hole a Factor in Global Warming? Q15. Carbon Dioxide Is a Small Fraction of the Atmosphere, So Why Is It So Important for Climate Change? Q16. Does a Historical Correlation Exist between Changes in Carbon Dioxide Levels and Temperature? Q17. What Does Past Climate Change Tell Us about the Relationship between Carbon Dioxide and Temperature? Q18. Which Produces More Carbon Dioxide: Volcanoes, or Burning Fossil Fuels? 3 The Likely Impacts of Climate Change Q19. How Well Do Computer Models Reproduce Earth's Climate? Q20. Can an Increase in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Cause a Significant Warming of Global Temperatures? Q21. How Will Climate Change Impact Society? Q22. Have the Dangers of Climate Change Been Understated or Overstated by Scientists and the News Media? Q23. Are Carbon Dioxide Emissions Acidifying the Ocean? Q24. How Are Plants and Animals Affected by Rapid Climate Change? Q25. How Is Climate Change Influencing Extreme Weather? 4 Scientific Consensus on Climate Change Q26. What Percentage of Climate Scientists Agree That Humans Are Causing Global Warming? Q27. What Does the Work of Lone Scientific Mavericks Show about the Importance of the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change? Q28. What Motivates Climate Scientists? Q29. In the 1970s, Were Most Climate Scientists Concerned about Global Warming or Global Cooling? 5 Responding to Climate Change Q30. Is It Possible to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions without Damaging the Economy? Q31. What Effect Will Cutting Carbon Emissions Have on the Poor? Q32. What Is China Doing to Address Climate Change? Q33. Can Carbon Dioxide Be Regulated under the Clean Air Act? Q34. Can Individuals Do Anything to Limit Global Warming? Q35. Do Some Republicans Accept That Anthropogenic Climate Change Is Occurring? Postscript: The Paris Agreement Index About the Authors
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Climate change is one of the most controversial and misunderstood issues of the 21st century. This book provides a clear understanding of the issue by presenting scientific facts to refute falsehoods and misinformation—and to confirm the validity of other assertions.
Les mer
Provides a broad overview of the subject of climate change that is specifically written to be accessible and interesting for senior high school or introductory college-level audiences
Each title in the Contemporary Debates series examines the veracity of controversial claims or beliefs surrounding a major political/cultural issue in the United States. The purpose of the series is to give readers a clear and unbiased understanding of current issues by informing them about falsehoods, half-truths, and misconceptions-and confirming the factual validity of other assertions-that have gained traction in America's political and cultural discourse. Ultimately, this series gives readers the tools for a fuller understanding of controversial issues, policies, and laws that occupy center stage in American life and politics.
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9781440835681
Publisert
2016-07-18
Utgiver
Vendor
ABC-CLIO
Vekt
567 gr
Høyde
235 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
U, P, 05, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
232

Biographical note

Daniel Bedford is Professor of Geography at Weber State University, Ogden, UT, USA. John Cook is the Climate Communication Fellow for the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland, Australia.