THE SCIENCE OF
CLIMATE CHANGEMichael E. Mann & Lee R. Kump
Dire Predictions:
Understanding Climate ChangeDK, 2nd ed.Based on the findings of the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (ipcc), this sumptuously illustrated
book elegantly outlines the essential ideas
in climate change from scientific basics to
practical solutions. Given that it is based on
the Fifth IPCC Impact Report and revised in
2015, some of the data, particularly regard-
ing sea level rise, need to be updated in light
of the most recent research. Nevertheless,
Dire Predictions is still a cogent introduction
to the key principles of climate change, and
its diverse use of graphics ensures that the
critical findings are clear, memorable, and
easily accessible to a wide range of readers
of different ages.Robert Henson
The Thinking Person’s Guide to
Climate ChangeAmerican Meteorological SocietyAs fake news and climate change skepticism
continue to flourish in the US, this essential
overview of climate change attempts to
separate the wheat from the chaff. It offers
a clear description of the tools and tech-
niques used in the scientific analysis of cli-
mate change and the current and predicted
repercussions for the planet. Additionally,
there are discussions of such thorny top-
ics as “Tree Planting: Help or Hindrance?”,
“Who Owns the Artic?”, and the global
implications of “Outsourcing Emissions,”
together with sections on both technologi-
cal solutions and actions that can be taken
by individuals. A particularly engaging sec-
tion of the Guide is dedicated to examining
propaganda, media distortion, and debunk-
ing commonly held false beliefs regarding
the nature of climate change.David Wallace-Wells
The Uninhabitable Earth:
Life after WarmingTim Duggan BooksIn gripping, closely argued prose, embrac-
ing both history and science with equal
grace, Wallace-Wells charts the potential
future lying ahead for our species, from
climate- change-induced conflict, plague,
and economic collapse to the exhaustion
of such basic natural resources as clean air
and water. This is a deep and unflinching
look at the nature of a species that could
bring about its own destruction, examining
how the structure of our societies and our
individual cognitive limitations contribute
to short-term thinking, whether in regard to
technology, consumption, or even our acts
of artistic response. Wallace-Wells incisively
articulates the need for broader systems-
based analyses as we grapple to understand
the multiple ways in which climate change
will impact our future.COVER FEATURE CLIMATE CHANGE | BOOKLIST
While the rapidly evolving nature
of climate change means that
the best sources of current data
are online (e.g., United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration), the
following books provide a grounding
in the fundamental scientific
processes, predicted impacts, and
potential solutions for climate
change.A “Clarion Call to Action”
Nine Recommended Books on Climate Change
by Pireeni Sundaralingam
74 W LT SUMMER 2019