The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change : A Guide to the Debate

In this accessible 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. Anyone with an interest in how science is used in policy debates will find this discussion illuminating. The book requires no specialized knowledge, but is accessible to any college-educated general reader who wants to make more sense of the climate change debate. It can also be used as a textbook to explain the details of the climate-change debate, or as a resource for science students or working scientists, to explain how science is used in policy debates. 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. 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. Andrew E. Dessler, Edward A. Parson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 186-188) And Index. Why is the debate over climate change so confusing? Some say that there is clear evidence of an impending crisis, others that the evidence for climate change is weak. Some say that efforts to curb greenhouse gases will bankrupt us, others that we can solve the problem at manageable cost. In these arguments, both sides cannot be right. Reports in the media perpetuate the conflict: they invariably attempt to present both sides of the argument in a balanced manner. As a result, it is hard for non-specialists to sort out and evaluate the contending claims.In this accessible 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.Anyone with an interest in how science is used in policy debates will find this discussion illuminating. The book requires no specialized knowledge, but is accessible to any college-educated general reader who wants to make more sense of the climate change debate. It can also be used as a textbook to explain the details of the climate change debate, or as a resource for science students or working scientists, to explain how science is used in policy debates. Climate variability has become the primary environmental concern of the 21st Century. Yet, despite the scientific community's warnings of the imminent dangers of global warming, politicians world-wide have failed to agree on what to do about this potentially devastating environmental problem. This introductory primer informs scientists, policy makers and the general public by clarifying the conflicting claims of the debate. Combining their expertise in atmospheric science and public policy, the authors present an accessible description of the scientific and political issues involved in the climate-change debate. This introductory primer will help students and the general public to sort through the conflicting claims made by scientists, politicians and the media. In this introductory primer, the authors combine their respective expertise in the areas of atmospheric science and public environmental policy to help scientists, policy makers and the general public sort through the conflicting claims of the debate on global climate change Of all the environmental issues that have emerged in the past few decades, global climate change is the most serious, and the most difficult to manage.