The Climate Change Debate: A Reference Handbook

by David E. Newton

Overview

The Climate Change Debate: A Reference Handbook provides an in-depth look at climate change facts and statistics. It also discusses debate surrounding the scientific consensus.

The Climate Change Debate: A Reference Handbook covers the topic of climate change from the earliest days of planet Earth to the present day.

Chapters One and Two provide a historical background of climate change and a review of current problems, controversies, and solutions. The remainder of the book consists of chapters that aid readers in continuing their own research on the topic, such as an extended annotated bibliography, chronology, glossary, noteworthy individuals and organizations in the field, and important data and documents.

The variety of resources provided, such as further reading, perspective essays about climate change, a historical timeline, and useful terms in the climate change discourse, differentiates this book from others in the field. The book is intended for readers of high school through the community college level, along with adult readers who may be interested in the topic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440875410
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/14/2020
Series:	Contemporary World Issues
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 4.95(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

David E. Newton holds a BA in chemistry, an MA in education from the University of Michigan, and an EdD in science education from Harvard University.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

1 Background and History 3

The Climatic Record 4

Weather and Climate 4

Climate through the Millennia 5

Huronian Glaciation 7

Snowball Earth 8

Andean-Saharan 8

Late Paleozoic 9

Quaternary 9

The Tools of Paleoclimatology 10

Carbon Dating 10

Ice Cores 12

Boreholes 12

Dendrochronology 13

Pollen Analysis 15

Causes of Climate Change 16

Milankovic Theory 17

Eccentricity 17

Obliquity 18

Axial Precession 18

Other Possible Causes 19

A Greenhouse Earth 21

Breakthroughs in Global Warming Research 23

Anthropogenic Effects on Global Warming 26

A New Day for Climate Science 29

Climate Models 30

New Discoveries 32

Post-Keeling Developments 36

Scientific Developments and the Responses of Scientists 37

Research Developments 37

Scientists React 39

Responses from the Body Politic 45

Conclusion 46

References 46

2 Problems, Controversies, and Solutions 63

Climate Change as a National Issue 63

Possible Consequences of Climate Change 69

Greenhouse Gas Emissions 72

Global Temperatures 76

Glaciers and Ice Sheets 77

Oceans 81

Extreme Weather 84

Land Use 87

Wildfires 88

Human Health 90

Temperature 91

Extreme Events 92

Vector-Borne Diseases 93

Food- and Water-Borne Diseases 94

Food Security and Nutrition 95

Ecosystems 96

World Economics 97

Climate Skeptics and Deniers 99

Industry Responds 105

Possible Solutions 111

What Can You Do? 111

What Can Your Community Do? 112

What Can Your Country Do? 113

Technological Solutions 117

Conclusion 118

References 119

3 Perspectives 141

Introduction 141

Cemetery Management Today or Reinternment Management Tomorrow Jennifer Blanks 141

Comatose in Climate Catastrophe Olivia Cooper 146

Coastal Community Faces Effects of Climate Change, Sea-Level Rise ChrisAnn Silver Esformes 150

A Call for Climate Literacy Gregory Foy Leigh Foy 153

Scientific Skepticism of Climate Change Models Joel Grossman 157

How the Powerful Advance Climate Change Maxine Gunther-Segal 162

Landslide Mitigation and Perception in Rio de Janeiro Abigail Hanna 166

The Little Big Changes-How Big Is Your Backyard? Hogyeum Joo 170

Give Me Money, Give Me Power, and Give Them Death Joy Semien 173

4 Profiles 179

Svante Arrhenius (1859-1927) 179

Center for Climate and Energy Solutions 181

Climate Action Network 183

Eunice Newton Foote (1819-1888) 185

Al Gore Jr. (1948-) 188

James Hansen (1941-) 190

Syukuro Manabe (1931-) 192

Past Global Changes 193

Roger Revelle (1909-1991) 196

Hans Suess (1909-1993) 199

Greta Thunberg (2003-) 200

350.org 203

United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 205

United States Environmental Protection Agency 206

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication 208

5 Data and Documents 213

Data 213

Table 5.1 Global Radiative Forcing, CO₂-equivalent Mixing Ratio, and the AGGI (1979-2018) 214

Table 5.2 Average Annual CO₂ Concentration, Mauna Loa, Hawaii parts per million (ppm; uncertainty in all measurements is 0.12 ppm) 216

Table 5.3 Area Covered by Ice in Arctic Sea, 1979-2017 (million square miles) 218

Table 5.4 Atmospheric CO₂ Levels, 1850-1958 (parts per million) 219

Documents 222

On the Influence of Carbonic Acid in the Air upon the Temperature of the Ground (1896) 222

Remarkable Weather of 1911 (1912) 224

Energy Tax Act (1978) 226

Massachusetts v. EPA (2007) 228

Executive Order 13514 (2009) 231

President Obama's Climate Action Plan (2013) 234

Executive Order 13653 (2013) 238

The Clean Power Plan (2015) 243

Executive Order 13783 (2017) 247

The Affordable Clean Energy Rule (2019) 254

6 Resources 259

Books 259

Articles 268

Reports 279

Internet 287

7 Chronology 301

Glossary 313

Index 321

Editorial Reviews

This is a handy source for high school students, undergraduates, and general readers seeking a brief look at the basic concepts, evolution, and contemporary perspectives of climate change.” —Library Jourbanal

“'This is important reading for all, high school and up. Summing Up: Essential. All readers.” —Choice

From the Publisher

08/01/2020

Newton (formerly, chemistry and physics, Salem State Coll.) provides a basic overview of climate change in a balanced and informative manner. He examines both heavily researched topics such as rising sea levels, melting polar ice, and weather extremes, as well as lesser-known subjects (cemetery management and landslide mitigation) with equal skill and attention. The work is divided into seven chapters: background and history; problems, controversies, and solutions; perspectives; profiles; data and documents; resources for further study; and chronology with glossary of terms and index. The first two chapters introduce basic climate change concepts, historical developments, and evolving philosophy, with excellent reading lists at the end of each. Thought-provoking perspective essays by experts in the field explore a variety of topics, including climate skeptics and deniers. There are 15 profiles on organizations such as the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and figures including Greta Thunberg and other modern-day activists. The data section features tables on carbon dioxide levels and Arctic ice. In addition, 10 documents consist of several Executive Orders and President Obama's 2013 Climate Action Plan. The detailed and well-annotated resources, chronology, and glossary of terms contribute to the work's quality. Though not a comprehensive resource on the subject, this is an effective starting point and cogent blend of familiar and relatively under-documented climate change issues for a wide audience. VERDICT This is a handy source for high school students, undergraduates, and general readers seeking a brief look at the basic concepts, evolution, and contemporary perspectives of climate change.—Rob Tench, Old Dominion Univ. Libs., Norfolk, VA

Library Journal