Climate Change: Shifting Glaciers, Deserts, and Climate Belts (The Hazardous Earth)

Part of an eight-volume set for students, this book examines the past, present, and future of Earth's climate.

The Hazardous Earth is an eight-volume set that provides students with a comprehensive account of natural hazards-the geologic processes that create conditions dangerous to humans-and what can be done to minimize their effects. Designed to complement science curricula, the books present vivid accounts of historic disasters and events that have shaped history and serve as warnings for future generations.

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up

This detailed, concise work covers the many interrelated aspects of the phenomenon clearly. The eight chapters address such topics as natural, long-term variations; shrinking glaciers; and human effects, interspersed with mini-lessons on, for example, carbon sequestration and China's effort to tide the growth of the Gobi desert. The chapter on human contributions to global warming describes findings from the past 100 years and the conclusions of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Though this impartial discussion of "anthropogenic change" is reason enough to buy the book (and is a great complement to a viewing of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth ), there are other unexpected bonuses. For example, the explanations of how plate tectonics affects climate (which is rarely covered) and how seasons occur are both exceptionally easy to understand. Where possible, examples of changing landscapes and patterns in the United States are included, so that students in many areas of the country will easily identify with the processes discussed. Unfortunately, some of the black-and-white photographs, graphs, tables, and maps are unclear. Purchase this for the text, which will work well for students completing in-depth reports on the environment and earth science.-Henrietta Thornton-Verma, School Library Journal

Scientists warn that the planet is becoming warmer at a rapid pace and there will be significant consequences for people and ecosystems. This book is an examination of the climate history of the past million years which may help predict and alter the course for the future. Examines global climate change, both natural and human-induced, and its affects on the environment that include desertification, drought, melting ice caps, and changes in sea level.