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Climate Change, Extreme Events and Disaster Risk Reduction: Towards Sustainable Development Goals (Sustainable Development Goals Series)
by Christian Huggel R. B. Singh Suraj MalThis book discusses the science, causes, impacts and risk reduction strategies for climate change and disasters. It focuses on the use of traditional knowledge, new innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels in order to promote sustainable development goals in general and disaster risk reduction in particular. The global climate has changed substantially over the last century. There is strong evidence of global climate change in the form of increase in air and sea surface temperature, recession of glaciers, changes and shifting of climate regimes, increasing number of extreme events and sea levels changes. The increasing frequency of climate change induced disasters in particular is posing a threat to resilience, lives and livelihoods at global, regional and local levels. Major ecosystems of the world have experienced several climate induced disaster events in recent past. This book provides new insights into the occ urrence and impacts of climatic extremes and strategies for disaster risk reduction. It includes studies on rainfall and temperature trends, floods and drought disasters, weather and climatic related disasters in mountains, changes in plant activities, risk assessment and responses in different ecosystems of the world. The book is particularly useful for environmental and disaster managers, researchers and graduate students, as well as policy makers.
Climate Change, Food Security and Natural Resource Management: Regional Case Studies from Three Continents
by Mohamed Behnassi Olaf Pollmann Himangana GuptaThis book contributes to the on-going debates on climate change by focusing on the SDGs and exploring linkages between environmental change and food security as well as the relevance and need to consider the management of natural resources, especially water, soil and forest. Compared to relevant existing publications, this book covers case studies that capture the everyday realities of the local people and how they react and adapt to similar situations in different geographical settings. Each case study presented in this book gives a particular message. The strength of this book lies in the fact that it covers the most neglected topics in climate negotiations in spite of the fact that these decide the fate of millions of people around the world, especially the developing countries. By presenting a collection of case studies from Africa, Asia and Europe, this book encourages cross-continental knowledge sharing. The scope of the book ranges from impacts to mitigation and from in-field experiments to policy implementation. It contributes to the existing knowledge on climate-food nexus and connects climate change to sectors it could impact directly. All chapters in this book emphasise local ownership of strategy processes, effective participation from all levels, and high-level commitment. Besides being relevant for the academicians and scholars working in the field of climate change, forest and agriculture, it aims to catch interest of the policy makers and practitioners to understand ground realities for appropriate action. It is also bound to make an impact on the Non-Governmental Organizations around the world and in the three different continents that this book covers, considering the indigenous and local issues highlighted in this book.
Climate Change, Hazards and Adaptation Options: Handling the Impacts of a Changing Climate (Climate Change Management)
by Walter Leal Filho Gustavo J. Nagy Marco Borga Pastor David Chávez Muñoz Artur MagnuszewskiThis book addresses the issue of climate change risks and hazards holistically. Climate change adaptation aims at managing climate risks and hazards to an acceptable level, taking advantage of any positive opportunities that may arise. At the same time, developing suitable responses to hazards for communities and users of climate services is important in ensuring the success of adaptation measures. But despite this, knowledge about adaptation options, including possible actions that can be implemented to improve adaptation and reduce the impacts of climate change hazards, is still limited. Addressing this need, the book presents studies and research findings and offers a catalogue of potential adaptation options that can be explored. It also includes case studies providing illustrative and inspiring examples of how we can adapt to a changing climate.
Climate Change, Human Impact and Green Energy Transformation (GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences)
by Jan Kiciński Patryk ChajaThis book indicates the most optimal solutions for the growing civilization problem related to climate change that takes place more and more rapidly on our planet. It is divided into two parts: In the first part, the authors - based on the available analyses and reports on climate change taking place on Earth - present their own point of view in relation to the above issue, while trying to find answers to the following questions: · Why is it so difficult to admit that humans are responsible for the ongoing climate change? · Will climate change destroy life on Earth? · Can science and modern technologies stop this process? In the second part of the book, the authors propose a solution for the advancing climate change, regarding the reduction of CO2 emissions coming mainly from the energy sector. On the basis of scientific achievements and implementations of research institutions in Poland, especially the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdansk, the book proposes directions of development of the energy transformation in Poland and other countries for which fossil fuels currently make a large contribution to the energy production process and are the main emitter of CO2 to the atmosphere. The book is addressed to citizens, ecologists, climatologists as well as politicians and experts responsible for shaping the climate and energy policy of the country level and also the world.
Climate Change, Intercropping, Pest Control and Beneficial Microorganisms (Sustainable Agriculture Reviews #2)
by Eric LichtfouseSustainable agriculture is a rapidly growing field aiming at producing food and energy in a sustainable way for humans and their children. Sustainable agriculture is a discipline that addresses current issues such as climate change, increasing food and fuel prices, poor-nation starvation, rich-nation obesity, water pollution, soil erosion, fertility loss, pest control, and biodiversity depletion. Novel, environmentally-friendly solutions are proposed based on integrated knowledge from sciences as diverse as agronomy, soil science, molecular biology, chemistry, toxicology, ecology, economy, and social sciences. Indeed, sustainable agriculture decipher mechanisms of processes that occur from the molecular level to the farming system to the global level at time scales ranging from seconds to centuries. For that, scientists use the system approach that involves studying components and interactions of a whole system to address scientific, economic and social issues. In that respect, sustainable agriculture is not a classical, narrow science. Instead of solving problems using the classical painkiller approach that treats only negative impacts, sustainable agriculture treats problem sources. Because most actual society issues are now intertwined, global, and fast-developing, sustainable agriculture will bring solutions to build a safer world. This book series gathers review articles that analyze current agricultural issues and knowledge, then propose alternative solutions. It will therefore help all scientists, decision-makers, professors, farmers and politicians who wish to build a safe agriculture, energy and food system for future generations.
Climate Change, Interrupted: Representation and the Remaking of Time
by Barbara LeckieIn this moment of climate precarity, Victorian studies scholar Barbara Leckie considers the climate crisis as a problem of time. Spanning the long nineteenth century through our current moment, her interdisciplinary treatment of climate change at once rethinks time and illustrates that the time for climate action is now. Climate Change, Interrupted argues that linear, progress-inflected temporalities are not adequate to a crisis that defies their terms. Instead, this book advances a theory and practice of interruption to rethink prevailing temporal frameworks. At the same time, it models the anachronistic, time-blending, and time-layering temporality it advances. In a series of experimental chapters informed by the unlikely trio of Walter Benjamin, Donna Haraway, and Virginia Woolf, Leckie reinflects and cowrites the traditions and knowledges of the long nineteenth century and the current period in the spirit of climate action collaboration. The current moment demands as many approaches as possible, invites us to take risks, and asks scholars and activists adept at storytelling to participate in the conversation. Climate Change, Interrupted, accordingly, invests in interruption to tell a different story of the climate crisis.
Climate Change, Justice and Sustainability: Linking Climate and Development Policy
by Johannes Müller Hermann Lotze-Campen Johannes Wallacher Michael Reder Brigitte Knopf Ottmar EdenhoferAnalysing and synthesising vast data sets from a multitude of disciplines including climate science, economics, hydrology and agricultural research, this volume seeks new methods of combining climate change mitigation, adaptation, development, and poverty reduction in ways that are effective, efficient and equitable. A guiding principle of the project is that new alliances of state and non-state sector partners are urgently required to establish cooperative responses to the threats posed by climate change. This volume offers a vital policy framework for linking our response to this change with progressive principles of global justice and sustainable development.
Climate Change, Livelihood Diversification and Well-Being: The Case of Rural Odisha (SpringerBriefs in Economics)
by Arup Mitra Saudamini Das Amarnath Tripathi Tapas Kumar Sarangi Thiagu RanganathanThis book assesses the capacity of the rural populace in terms of their ability to perceive a change in climatic variables and, if so, how they react to these changes in order to minimize the adverse effect of climate change. It evaluates the role of education and exposure to change in physiological variables like temperature, precipitation, etc., in forming the right perception of climate change. While analysing livelihood diversification as a strategy to cope with climate change concerns across geography (districts), caste, education and the primary occupation of the households, the book also considers factors affecting diversification. One important aspect of well-being is consumption; thus, by focusing on consumption changes over time and relating it to livelihood diversification, the book makes an in-depth analysis of the coping mechanisms. Diversification adopted in the face of compulsion and in a situation of stagnancy may result in a range of low productivity activities, whereas diversification as an attempt to explore newer pathways in a vibrant context to reduce income risks and smooth consumption can be highly beneficial. The book, thus, focuses on job profile and occupational diversification of the sample households, the extent of instability in occupations and the distribution of households in terms of consumption pattern, the inter-temporal changes in it and the determinants. The book is useful for researchers, students in environmental studies, policy-makers, NGOs and also the common reader who wants to understand climate change, its effects on livelihoods and ways to overcome the shocks. It reflects on effective policies which can create awareness and empower people to explore opportunities for livelihood creation so that the overall is sustained if not improved.
Climate Change, Natural Resources and Sustainable Environmental Management (Environmental Earth Sciences)
by Hüseyin Gökçekuş Youssef KassemThis book is a compilation of selected papers from the Fifth International Conference on Natural Resources and Sustainable Environmental Management held in Near East University, November 2021. It provides intellectual guidance and scientific evidence on the challenges of global warming and climate change based on a humanistic and critical thinking approach, promoting research and education to build equality in the global community and more sustainable societies. This book also addresses the current challenges of bridging the gap between government policymakers and providers of science and solutions with innovative ideas and new visions to help resolve the challenges facing us in the area of natural resources (water, energy), and environment.
Climate Change, Ocean Acidification and Sponges
by José Luis Carballo James J. BellWhile sponges represent a very simple group of organisms, which are represented by over 8000 species, there is considerable interest in the increasing role they may play in future marine ecosystems. While we still have a comparatively limited understanding of how sponges will respond to ocean warming and acidification there is evidence that some species may have the ability to acclimate or even adapt to these stressors. This comprehensive collection of articles describes our current understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on sponges across multiple levels of biological organisation, and from the geological past to the present. With expert contributions from across the world this book represents the most up-to-date view on sponge responses to climate change. This book will be of interest to a wide audience of marine scientists and managers, who are grappling with how to manage, conserve and protect marine ecosystems.
Climate Change, Photosynthesis and Advanced Biofuels: The Role of Biotechnology in the Production of Value-added Plant Bio-products
by Ashwani Kumar Shinjiro Ogita Yuan-Yeu Yau Renate ScheibeThe use of fossil fuels results in rising CO2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, causing global temperature rise and climate change that will negatively impact human health, the food supply, and eventually worsen hunger and misery. Presently, fossil fuels meet 88% of the energy demand, resulting in rising CO2/GHG emissions at alarming rates. The increased use of biofuels would help to mitigate climate change. Efficiently designing methods for the production of biofuels and plant-derived high-value products requires a deeper understanding of photosynthetic processes as a prerequisite for applying novel biotechnologies. Accordingly, this book provides ample information and a wealth of illustrative examples. The book’s eighteen richly illustrated chapters are divided into three thematic parts. I: Photosynthesis and Biomass Production under Changing Conditions, II: Microalgae and Engineered Crops for Production of Biofuels and High-value Products, and III: Genetic Resources and Engineering Methods to Improve Crop Plants. Readers will find the latest information on the molecular basis of photosynthetic processes in plants (including the regulatory principles that allow plants to maintain homeostasis under changing conditions), stress resistance and synthetic pathways. In addition, the basic principles of important biotechnologies, as well as examples of specially designed crops capable of growing under stress conditions with improved productivity, are presented. The book sets the course for future research in the field of biofuel development and production and provides both general and specific information for students, teachers, academic researchers, industrial teams, and general readers who are interested in new developments concerning the production of biofuels with value-added properties.
Climate Change, Politics and the Press in Ireland (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability)
by David RobbinsMedia coverage of climate change has attracted much scholarly attention because the extent of such coverage has an agenda-setting effect and because the ways in which the coverage is framed can influence public perception of and engagement with the issue. However, certain gaps in our understanding of the processes whereby such coverage is produced remain. The competition among strategic actors to influence media framing strategies is poorly understood, and the perspectives of journalists and editors are largely absent from literature. With a view to advancing our understanding of the "frame competition" around climate change and to presenting the perspectives of journalists regarding climate change as a journalistic topic, this book presents an in-depth case history of media coverage of climate change in Ireland. First, the extent of media attention for climate change is established, and the way in which such coverage is framed is also examined. Through a series of interviews, including rare and privileged access to government ministers, their media advisors, and journalists and editors, the book uncovers the contest to establish a dominant framing. The main objective of this book is to advance our understanding of the contest to establish the dominant framing of climate change in the media discourse. Although focussed on Ireland, its conclusions are of value to those seeking to better understand the dynamics of media coverage of climate change in other contexts. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of climate change, environmental policy, media and communication studies, and Irish politics.
Climate Change, Shifting Cultivation and Livelihood Vulnerabilities in India: An Analytical Study
by Sunil Nautiyal Niranjan Roy Avijit DebnathThis book explores how climate change affects households that rely on shifting cultivation and how to assess their vulnerability. This study looks at micro and macro levels in Indian states with indigenous communities practicing shifting cultivation. The micro-level study has been conducted in 52 villages, with 1469 households covering 7067 population in seven states of India in the Northeastern region. The book covers different topics related to climate change, such as its patterns, impact on households and agriculture, forest management, and the role of indigenous knowledge in mitigation. This research is associated with different sectors like shifting agriculture, forestry sector, climate change and rural development etc. and integrated with large respondents and stakeholders through both direct and focus group discussions. Research scholars, climate activists, institutional and non-institutional organisations, people interested in environmental science, social science and policymakers will find this book very relevant.
Climate Change, Urbanization, and Water Resources: Towards Resilient Urban Water Resource Management
by Alexander Reid Ross Heejun ChangThis book discusses resilient urban water resources management in the context of climate change and ongoing urbanization. Twelve cities worldwide representing different climates and growth stages serve as case studies. Using these case cities, this book first identifies the main water issues, including water demand, floods, and droughts, in relation to the historical development of each city, investigates current strategies for dealing with climate-related water hazards, and explores potential adaptive strategies. The authors draw some common lessons by comparing and contrasting these case studies while acknowledging place-based unique adaptation strategies.
Climate Change, Vulnerabilities and Adaptation: Understanding and Addressing Threats with Insights for Policy and Practice
by Saleha Jamal Abha Lakshmi Singh Wani Suhail AhmadThis contributed volume offers a wide variety of cases exploring how humanity can adapt to a changing climate. The volume features a wide variety of contributions from geographers, primarily in India but with plenty of global cases to provide a broad comparative perspective. A primary goal of this book is to bridge the gap from conceptual and data-driven analysis of climate change and adaptation to practical planning approaches and strategies. The book compiles contributions that address human well-being and environmental effects related to climate change, including analysis and modelling of ecosystem services, socio-ecological research and sustainable governance of ecosystems. Results reported in this book are conducive to a better understanding of the climate emergency, climate-related impacts and adaptation and mitigation strategies. The cases here also provide researchers with new examples of applications of vulnerability assessment methods. The volume offers insights regarding vulnerable areas in India, an exploration of how some regions have coped with these issues, and a discussion of the impacts that public policy has had on vulnerability in the regions studied. The focus on vulnerability will assist decision-makers in and outside India in targeting policies aimed at poverty reduction in agricultural communities as well. Though the cases here primarily focus on India, the methodologies presented here are transferable to many other parts of the world.
Climate Change, second edition: What It Means for Us, Our Children, and Our Grandchildren (American and Comparative Environmental Policy)
by Pamela Doughman Joseph F.C. DiMentoAn updated and accessible account of what science knows about climate change, incorporating the latest scientific findings and policy initiatives.Most of us are familiar with the term climate change but few of us understand the science behind it. We don't fully comprehend how climate change will affect us, and for that reason we might not consider it as pressing a concern as, say, housing prices or unemployment. This book explains the scientific knowledge about global climate change clearly and concisely in engaging, nontechnical language, describes how it will affect all of us, and suggests how government, business, and citizens can take action against it.This completely revised and updated edition incorporates the latest scientific research and policy initiatives on climate change. It describes recent major legislative actions, analyzes alternative regulatory tools including new uses of taxes and markets, offers increased coverage of China and other developing nations, discusses the role of social media in communicating about climate change, and provides updated assessments of the effects of climate change.The book first explains the basic scientific facts about climate change and its global impact. It discusses the nature of scientific consensus and the strong consensus of mainstream science on climate change. It then explores policy responses and corporate actions in the United States and the rest of the world, discusses how the communication of climate change information by journalists and others can be improved, and addresses issues of environmental justice—how climate change affects the most vulnerable populations and regions. We can better tackle climate change, this book shows us, if we understand it.
Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health
by The National Academy of SciencesClimate change is not just affecting the outside world around us. It also affects the indoor environment, with consequences for occupant and public health. This report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies examines the impact climate change may have on the indoor environment and those health consequences. Written primarily for the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies, it strongly recommends that EPA take the responsibility for informing the public, health professionals, and those in the building industry about potential risks and how to address them. It also recommends change in building codes to account for climate change, evaluation standards for building materials emissions, and more. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Climate Change-Resilient Agriculture and Agroforestry: Ecosystem Services and Sustainability (Climate Change Management)
by Walter Leal Filho Ulisses M. Azeiteiro Paula Castro Anabela Marisa AzulThis book collects wide-ranging contributions such as case studies, reviews, reports on technological developments, outputs of research/studies, and examples of successful projects, presenting current knowledge and raising awareness to help the agriculture and forestry sectors find solutions for mitigating climate variability and adapting to change. It brings the topic of ecosystem services closer to education and learning, as targeted by the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. Climate change and its impacts on agriculture and agroforestry have been observed across the world during the last 50 years. Increasing temperatures, droughts, biotic stresses and the impacts of extreme events have continuously decreased agroforestry systems’ resilience to the effects of climate change. As such, there is a need to adapt farming and agroforestry systems so as to make them better able to handle ever-changing climate conditions, and to preserve habitats and ecosystems services.
Climate Change: A Multidisciplinary Approach
by William James BurroughsProviding a concise, up-to-date presentation of current knowledge of climate change and its implications for society as a whole, this new edition has been thoroughly updated and extended to include the latest information. The text describes the components of the global climate, considers how the many elements of climate combine to define its behaviour, and reviews how climate change is measured. The author discusses how the causes of climate change can be related to the evidence of change, and modelled to predict future changes. This book is ideally suited for introductory courses in meteorology, oceanography, environmental science, earth science, geography, agriculture and social science. It contains review questions at the end of each chapter to enable readers to monitor their understanding of the materials covered. This book should appeal to an audience with a keen interest in all aspects of the climate change debate.
Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Introduction
by Thomas BrewerThis textbook introduces and explains the issues around climate change and its mitigation. It includes topics across disciplines and can be used as a single-volume text by students studying a range of subjects. Among the topics included are: ·How to adopt significant mitigation measures now to avoid the most catastrophic long-term consequences of climate change.·Reducing the rates of highly potent, short-lived emissions of methane gas and black carbon particulates—reductions that are necessary to meet the temperature targets of the Paris Agreements.·Implementing wide-ranging adaptation measures to reduce the deaths and economic costs of extreme heat waves, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and floods.·Recognizing the unusually rapid warming in the Arctic, which is disrupting weather patterns in the northern hemisphere and currents in the Atlantic Ocean, causing world-wide sea-level rise, and also causing methane leaks in the Arctic region—leaks that could eventually lead to irreversible global warming consequences. Meeting these challenges effectively requires action by both governments and businesses. The book examines the national and local governmental policies—and business practices—that are needed in sector-specific chapters. An objective of the book is to inform readers about specific problems resulting from climate change—and the wide range of potential government policies and business practices, changes in technologies, and changes in public attitudes and actions that can reduce the emissions and otherwise lessen their impacts. Indeed, a central message is that understanding the issues posed by climate change requires no less than an understanding of climate science, micro- and macro-economics, technologies for mitigation and adaptation measures, as well as politics and law at many governmental levels from local to global. The author has included short case studies that illustrate and integrate multiple analytic perspectives. The book is therefore appropriate for students, professionals, and general audiences with wide-ranging interests and backgrounds.
Climate Change: Briefings from Southern Africa
by Robert (Bob) Scholes Mary Scholes Mike LucasClimate change affects us all, but it can be a confusing business. In this book, three scientists with several decades of experience in assessing the potential effects of climate change for the southern African region share their insights. Complex issues are dealt with in plain language, without oversimplification and with attention to accuracy. The material is up-to-date as is possible in such a fast-developing field.Climate Change: Briefings from Southern Africa takes the form of 55 'frequently-asked' questions', each with a brief and clear reply. It is illustrated with colour diagrams and photographs, and examples are tailored to the regional context. The authors' introduction provides an overview of current national and international policies aimed at regulating climate change. The content is divided into four sections, which take the reader through the science of how climate system works; the projected impacts in southern Africa during the twenty-first century; what this means for the South African economy and society; and what can be done to avoid harm. The briefings can be read alone or in sequence.The year 2015 is regarded as a watershed for global climate change action if a global average temperature rise of more than two degrees abbove the pre-Industrial level is to be avoided. This book provides compelling evidence that the impact on agriculture, fisheries, water resources, human health, plants and animals as well as sea levels will be dangerous. However, the book ends on a positive note by offering advice on how the world can avoid such bleak outcomes, while allowing a good life for all.The volume is aimed at interested non-scientists, including business people, decision-makers, ordinary citizens and students
Climate Change: Conflict and Resilience in the Age of Anthropocene (Advances in Global Change Research #80)
by Uday Chatterjee Subodh Chandra Pal Asish Saha Dipankar RuidasThis book illustrates a geospatial technology approach to data mining techniques, data analysis, modelling, risk assessment and visualization and management strategies in many elements of natural and societal hazards. This book delves into cutting-edge techniques based on open-source software and R statistical programming, Google Earth Engine and modelling in modern artificial intelligence techniques, with a particular emphasis on recent trends in data mining techniques and robust modelling in water resource crisis-related hazards. Furthermore, this book also discusses how to manage water resources at various local, regional and international levels while incorporating environmental considerations. This book contains works that address the connection between climate change, extreme events and resilience. These works include those that identify and evaluate policies, quantify the effects of public interventions, climate change on extreme events, describe the decision-making process and its role in modelling for resilience. This book's subjects be of interest to earth and environmental scientists, professionals and authorities. This book focuses at geospatial modelling and climate change management. A relationship between three technologies, including remote sensing (RS), geographic information systems (GIS) and the R programming environment, is acknowledged as particularly effective in this regard. This book, on the other hand, serves as a practical guide to identify the most recent breakthroughs in geospatial and geostatistical approaches and their application in the field of subsurface water-induced hazards throughout the world. This book is specifically designed to serve the community of Undergraduates, Postgraduates and Researchers, Policymakers, Environmentalists, Natural Hazards and Disasters Management, NGOs, Corporate Sectors, Social Scientists, and Government Organizations in the fields of Environmental Sciences, Geography, Hydrology, Natural Hazards, Geospatial Sciences, Remote Sensing & GIS, Agriculture, Crop-Science, Forestry, Soil Science, Agronomy, Humanistic & Social Sciences and so on.
Climate Change: How Our Prehistoric Ancestors Responded to Global Warming
by John D. GraingerHow prehistoric humans coped with the end of the last Ice Age—and catastrophic global warming.Global warming is among the most urgent problems facing the world today. Yet many commentators, and even some scientists, discuss it with reference only to the changing climate of the last century or so. John Grainger takes a longer view and draws on the archaeological evidence to show how our ancestors faced up to the ending of the last Ice Age, arguably a more dramatic climate change crisis than the present one. Ranging from the Paleolithic down to the development of agriculture in the Neolithic, the author shows how human ingenuity and resourcefulness allowed them to adapt to the changing conditions in a variety of ways as the ice sheets retreated and water levels rose. Different strategies, from big game hunting on the ice, nomadic hunter gathering, sedentary foraging, and finally farming, were developed in various regions in response to local conditions as early man colonized the changing world. The human response to climate change was not to try to stop it, but to embrace technology and innovation to cope with it.
Climate Change: How Our Prehistoric Ancestors Responded to Global Warming
by John D. GraingerHow prehistoric humans coped with the end of the last Ice Age—and catastrophic global warming.Global warming is among the most urgent problems facing the world today. Yet many commentators, and even some scientists, discuss it with reference only to the changing climate of the last century or so. John Grainger takes a longer view and draws on the archaeological evidence to show how our ancestors faced up to the ending of the last Ice Age, arguably a more dramatic climate change crisis than the present one. Ranging from the Paleolithic down to the development of agriculture in the Neolithic, the author shows how human ingenuity and resourcefulness allowed them to adapt to the changing conditions in a variety of ways as the ice sheets retreated and water levels rose. Different strategies, from big game hunting on the ice, nomadic hunter gathering, sedentary foraging, and finally farming, were developed in various regions in response to local conditions as early man colonized the changing world. The human response to climate change was not to try to stop it, but to embrace technology and innovation to cope with it.
Climate Change: Inferences from Paleoclimate and Regional Aspects
by André Berger Djordje Sijacki Fedor MesingerExperts in climate and water sciences from Canada, the United States, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France, Serbia, and other European countries and the UNESCO gathered at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts on the occasion of the 130th birthday anniversary of the geophysicist Milutin Milankovitch. The collection of their presentations is opened by an update on the climate situation after the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Further topics include various issues of paleoclimatology, in particular as it helps reduce uncertainties from which prospects for climate change suffer; ecohydrology and climate change at the watershed scale; and regional climate models, which are discussed in terms of both their improved modeling and their use in studies of a polynya in the Antarctica and expected changes in the Mediterranean region.