This book introduces climate change fundamentals and essential concepts that reveal the extent of the damage, the impacts felt around the globe, and the innovation and leadership it will take to bring an end to the status quo. Emphasizing peer-reviewed literature, this text details the impact of climate change on land and sea, the water cycle, human communities, the weather, and humanity’s collective future. Coverage of greenhouse gases, oceanic and atmospheric processes, Pleistocene and Holocene paleoclimate, sea levels, and other fundamental topics provide a deep understanding of key mechanisms, while discussion of extreme weather, economic impacts, and resource scarcity reveals how climate change is already impacting people’s lives - and will continue to do so at an increasing rate for the foreseeable future.
Table of Contents
Preface ix
1 Evidence of Climate Change 1
Chapter Summary 1
Introduction 2
Climate Change is Real and it is Dangerous 6
The Earth System is Changing 12
Reliable Sources of Climate Change Information 19
How Unusual is the Present Warming? 25
Surface Temperature 26
Human Fingerprints on Climate 27
A Consistent Picture Emerges 31
Animations and Videos 35
Comprehension Questions 35
Thinking Critically 36
Activities 36
Key Terms 36
2 Radiative Equilibrium 37
Chapter Summary 37
Earth’s Energy Budget 38
Anthropogenic Forcing 49
Animations and Videos 67
Climate Change Essay 68
Comprehension Questions 68
Thinking Critically 68
Activities 68
Key Terms 69
3 The Climate System 70
Chapter Summary 70
Weather and Climate 71
The Atmosphere 71
Climate Zones 74
Jet Stream 88
Ocean Currents Carry Heat 90
Global Warming Is Changing the Ocean 92
Outlook 101
Animations and Videos 102
Ocean Threats 102
Comprehension Questions 102
Thinking Critically 102
Activities 103
Key Terms 103
4 Are Humans the Cause? 104
Chapter Summary 104
Mitigating Global Warming Requires Managing Carbon 105
Paleoclimate 114
Is Global Warming Caused by the Sun? 136
Did Global Warming End After 1998? 137
Do Scientists Disagree on Global Warming? 140
Are Climate Data Faulty? 141
Is Today’s Warming Simply a Repeat of the Recent Past? 142
In Conclusion 145
Animations and Videos 146
Comprehension Questions 146
Thinking Critically 146
Activities 147
Key Terms 147
5 Sea-Level Rise 148
Chapter Summary 148
Rate of Sea-Level Rise 150
Sea-Level Components 164
Sea-Level Impacts 176
The Eemian Analogue and a Warning of Our Future 190
Conclusion 190
Animations and Videos 191
Comprehension Questions 191
Thinking Critically 191
Activities 192
Key Terms 192
6 Modeling Climate 193
Chapter Summary 193
Climate Models 194
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Assessment Report 5 205
Conclusion 215
Additional Considerations 216
Concluding Thoughts 234
Animations and Videos 235
Comprehension Questions 236
Thinking Critically 236
Activities 236
Key Terms 237
7 Warming Impacts 238
Chapter Summary 238
Air Temperature and Precipitation Patterns in the United States 239
Climate Impacts to Planning Sectors 243
Climate Impacts to Geographic Regions 263
Conclusion 275
Animations and Video 275
Comprehension Questions 275
Thinking Critically 275
Activities 276
Key Terms 276
8 Dangerous Climate 277
Chapter Summary 277
Extreme Weather 278
Drought 286
Wildfire 290
Ecosystem Impacts 293
Climate Sensitivity 299
Carbon Trends and Implications 305
Dangerous Climate 312
The Socio-Economic Framework of All Humanity Is at Risk 318
Animations and Videos 327
Comprehension Questions 327
Thinking Critically 327
Activities 328
Key Terms 328
Key Term Glossary 329
Index 337
