- Table View
- List View
Under the Sea Wind
by Rachel CarsonThis New York Times bestseller by the author of the environmental classic Silent Spring beautifully details the coastal ecosystem of birds and the sea. In her first book, preeminent nature writer Rachel Carson tells the story of the sea creatures and birds that dwell in and around the waters along North America&’s eastern coast—and the delicately balanced ecosystem that sustains them. Following the life cycles of a pair of sanderlings, a mackerel, and an eel, Carson gracefully weaves scientific observation with imaginative prose to educate and inspire, creating one of the finest wildlife narratives in American literature. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Rachel Carson including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University.
Under the Sea: Archaeology and Palaeolandscapes of the Continental Shelf
by Jan Harff Geoffrey N. Bailey Dimitris SakellariouThis book focuses on issues of method and interpretation in studies of submerged landscapes, concentrating on illustrations and case studies from around Europe with additional examples from other parts of the world. Such landscapes were once exposed as dry land during the low sea levels that prevailed during the glacial periods that occupied most of the past million years and provided extensive new territories for human exploitation. Their study today involves underwater investigation, using techniques and strategies which are clearly set out in these chapters. The underwater landscape provides a rich source of information about the archaeology of human settlement and long-term changes in environment, climate and sea-level. This book highlights how such information can be revealed and interpreted. The examples presented here and the focus on techniques make this book of worldwide relevance. Chapters describe examples of underwater archaeological investigation as well as collaboration with offshore industries and legal, management and training issues relating to underwater cultural heritage. Such studies point to the significance of this drowned landscape, and readers are invited to consider its human impact in terms of past settlement and population dispersal through palaeolandscape reconstruction and interpretation in relation to broader themes in human prehistory. This volume is based on work from COST Action SPLASHCOS, a four-year multi-disciplinary and multi-national research program supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and has something to benefit all those with an interest in the sea floor of the continental shelf and the archaeological and social impact of sea-level change, including archaeologists, marine scientists, geographers, cultural-heritage managers, commercial and governmental organisations, policy makers and interested members of the public.
Under the Sea: Seek, find and celebrate nature's treasures with the Natural History Museum (My Nature Collection)
by Cameron MenziesA stunning and interactive exploration of the natural world, celebrating the diversity of natural treasures under the sea and published in partnership with the Natural History Museum London.My Nature Collection: Under the Sea is filled with beautifully detailed artwork, highlighted natural treasures and hidden features to spot on every page. Deep-dive into many remarkable corners of the sea and get to know their special features, from hermit crabs in the harbour to iguanas in the Galápagos, from seahorses in the sea grasses to algae below Antarctica. Search and find each wonder in context, with answers and further explanations at the back of the book.My Nature Collection book series encourages readers age 7 and up to look carefully and consider Earth's natural habitats in detail through interactive questions and up-close artwork. The perfect collection of books for treasure collectors, fact hunters and all lovers of nature!Series titles include: In the Rainforest / Under the Ground / Under the Sea / Up in the Air
Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World
by Kimberly NicholasIt's warming. It's us. We're sure. It's bad. But we can fix it.After speaking to the international public for close to fifteen years about sustainability, climate scientist Dr. Nicholas realized that concerned people were getting the wrong message about the climate crisis. Yes, companies and governments are hugely responsible for the mess we're in. But individuals CAN effect real, significant, and lasting change to solve this problem. Nicholas explores finding purpose in a warming world, combining her scientific expertise and her lived, personal experience in a way that seems fresh and deeply urgent: Agonizing over the climate costs of visiting loved ones overseas, how to find low-carbon love on Tinder, and even exploring her complicated family legacy involving supermarket turkeys.In her astonishing book Under the Sky We Make, Nicholas does for climate science what Michael Pollan did more than a decade ago for the food on our plate: offering a hopeful, clear-eyed, and somehow also hilarious guide to effecting real change, starting in our own lives. Saving ourselves from climate apocalypse will require radical shifts within each of us, to effect real change in our society and culture. But it can be done. It requires, Dr. Nicholas argues, belief in our own agency and value, alongside a deep understanding that no one will ever hand us power--we're going to have to seize it for ourselves.
Under the Snow
by Melissa StewartA cozy look at the amazing ways animals behave and interact with their environments on a snowy day.When snow falls, we go home where it is warm and safe. But what about all those animals out there in the forests and fields? What do they do when snow blankets the ground? Award-winning science writer Melissa Stewart offers a lyrical tour of a variety of habitats, providing young readers with vivid glimpses of animals as they live out the winter beneath the snow and ice. Constance R. Bergum's glowing watercolors perfectly capture the wonder and magic that can happen under the snow.
Under the Surface: Fracking, Fortunes, and the Fate of the Marcellus Shale, Updated Edition
by Tom WilberRunning from southern West Virginia through eastern Ohio, across central and northeast Pennsylvania, and into New York through the Southern Tier and the Catskills, the Marcellus Shale formation underlies a sparsely populated region that features striking landscapes, critical watersheds, and a struggling economic base. It also contains one of the world's largest supplies of natural gas, a resource that has been dismissed as inaccessible—until recently. Technological developments that combine horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") have removed physical and economic barriers to extracting hundreds of trillions of cubic feet of gas from bedrock deep below the Appalachian basin. Beginning in 2006, the first successful Marcellus gas wells by Range Resources, combined with a spike in the value of natural gas, spurred a modern-day gold rush—a "gas rush"—with profound ramifications for environmental policy, energy markets, political dynamics, and the lives of the people living in the Marcellus region. Under the Surface is the first book-length journalistic overview of shale gas development and the controversies surrounding it. Control over drilling rights is at stake in the heart of Marcellus country—northeast Pennsylvania and central New York. The decisions by landowners to work with or against the companies—and the resulting environmental and economic consequences—are scrutinized by neighbors faced with similar decisions, by residents of cities whose water supply originates in the exploration area, and by those living across state lines with differing attitudes and policies concerning extraction industries. Wilber's evenhanded treatment gives a voice to all constituencies, including farmers and landowners tempted by the prospects of wealth but wary of the consequences, policymakers struggling with divisive issues, and activists coordinating campaigns based on their respective visions of economic salvation and environmental ruin. Wilber describes a landscape in which the battle over the Marcellus ranges from the very local—yard signs proclaiming landowners' allegiances for or against shale gas development—to often conflicting municipal, state, and federal legislation intended to accelerate, delay, or discourage exploration. For millions of people with a direct stake in shale gas exploration in the Marcellus or any number of other emerging shale resources in the United States and worldwide, or for those concerned about the global energy outlook, Under the Surface offers a worthwhile and engaging look at the issues.
Under the Weather: Reimagining Mobility in the Climate Crisis (McGill-Queen's/Brian Mulroney Institute of Government Studies in Leadership, Public Policy, and Governance)
by Stephanie SoderoHumans and human mobility, including driving and flying, are entangled with the climate emergency. Fossil-fuelled mobility worsens severe weather, and in turn, severe weather disrupts human mobility. A shift to zero-emission vehicles is critical but insufficient to repair the damage or prepare communities for the coming disruptions severe weather will bring. In Under the Weather Stephanie Sodero explores the intersection between human mobility and severe weather. Anchored in two Atlantic Canadian hurricane case studies, Hurricane Juan in Mi'kma'ki/Nova Scotia in 2003 and Hurricane Igor in Ktaqmkuk/Newfoundland in 2010, the book contributes to contemporary cultural and policy discussions by offering five practical recommendations – revolutionize mobility, prioritize vital mobility of medical goods and services, embrace ecological mobilities, rebrand redundancy, and think flexibly – for how mobility can be reimagined to work with, rather than against, the climate in ways that also benefit the health, education, and economy of local communities. This ecological approach to mobilities sheds light on extreme mobility dependency and the impact of mobility disruptions on the ground in Canadian communities.Focusing on the entangled relationship between human mobility and the climate, Under the Weather examines how communities can transform their relationship with mobility to enable greater resilience.
Underground Engineering for Sustainable Urban Development
by Committee on Underground Engineering for Sustainable DevelopmentFor thousands of years, the underground has provided humans refuge, useful resources, physical support for surface structures, and a place for spiritual or artistic expression. More recently, many urban services have been placed underground. Over this time, humans have rarely considered how underground space can contribute to or be engineered to maximize its contribution to the sustainability of society. As human activities begin to change the planet and population struggle to maintain satisfactory standards of living, placing new infrastructure and related facilities underground may be the most successful way to encourage or support the redirection of urban development into sustainable patterns. Well maintained, resilient, and adequately performing underground infrastructure, therefore, becomes an essential part of sustainability, but much remains to be learned about improving the sustainability of underground infrastructure itself. At the request of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Research Council (NRC) conducted a study to consider sustainable underground development in the urban environment, to identify research needed to maximize opportunities for using underground space, and to enhance understanding among the public and technical communities of the role of underground engineering in urban sustainability. Underground Engineering for Sustainable Urban Development explains the findings of researchers and practitioners with expertise in geotechnical engineering, underground design and construction, trenchless technologies, risk assessment, visualization techniques for geotechnical applications, sustainable infrastructure development, life cycle assessment, infrastructure policy and planning, and fire prevention, safety and ventilation in the underground. This report is intended to inform a future research track and will be of interest to a broad audience including those in the private and public sectors engaged in urban and facility planning and design, underground construction, and safety and security.
Underground Spaces for Climate Resilience and Sustainability (Advances in 21st Century Human Settlements)
by Mahak AgrawalThis book highlights the untapped potential of underground spaces as a pivotal resource for climate resilience and sustainable urban development. The book explores diverse perspectives, methodologies, and case studies that collectively illuminate the myriad ways in which subterranean environments can be harnessed to address the challenges of a changing climate and burgeoning urban populations. The book opens with an examination of Warsaw's Metro System, showcasing its role as a vital component in walkable urbanism, identifying best practices, and addressing existing barriers. Moving forward, the authors explore the integration of underground archeological spaces in Downtown Amman, emphasizing their contribution to climate adaptation and sustainable urban development. Chapters span the globe, from reviving underground practices to adapt to heat stress in unspecified locations, to unraveling the Qanat System of Yazd and its impact on urban climate resilience. "Rock Skin" introduces a process toward geological empathy, while the exploration of underground data centers and georadar technology in Jakarta highlights the technological advancements shaping the future of underground spaces. "Unveiling the Subterranean Frontier" also examines unconventional aspects such as reimagining subway station design, the utilization of underground spaces for geothermal energy, and the vital role of soil life as underground infrastructure for urban climate resilience. The book concludes with a chapter on synergies in sustainable underground space development, providing a holistic perspective on the subject. This timely and interdisciplinary compilation aims to contribute to the evolving discourse on urban resilience and sustainability, providing valuable insights for researchers, urban planners, and policymakers alike.
Underground Thermal Energy Storage
by Kun Sang LeeUnderground thermal energy storage (UTES) provide us with a flexible tool to combat global warming through conserving energy while utilizing natural renewable energy resources. Primarily, they act as a buffer to balance fluctuations in supply and demand of low temperature thermal energy. Underground Thermal Energy Storage provides an comprehensive introduction to the extensively-used energy storage method. Underground Thermal Energy Storage gives a general overview of UTES from basic concepts and classifications to operation regimes. As well as discussing general procedures for design and construction, thermo-hydro geological modeling of UTES systems is explained. Finally, current real life data and statistics are include to summarize major global developments in UTES over the past decades. The concise style and thorough coverage makes Underground Thermal Energy Storage a solid introduction for students, engineers and geologists alike.
Underground Ventilation: Proceedings of the 19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium ((NAMVS 2023, 17-22 June 2023, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA)
by Purushotham TukkarajaUnderground Ventilation contains the proceedings of the 19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium held at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (South Dakota Mines) in Rapid City, South Dakota, June 17-22, 2023. South Dakota Mines organized this symposium in collaboration with the Underground Ventilation Committee (UVC) of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME). The Mine Ventilation Symposium series has always been a premier forum for ventilation experts, practitioners, educators, students, regulators, and suppliers from around the world to exchange knowledge, ideas, and opinions. Underground Ventilation features sixty-seven selected technical papers in a wide range of ventilation topics including: auxiliary and primary systems, mine fans, case studies, computational fluid dynamics applications, diesel particulate control, electric machinery, mine cooling and refrigeration, mine dust monitoring and control, mine fires and explosion prevention, mine gases, mine heat, mine ventilation and automation, occupational health and safety, renewable/alternative energy, monitoring and measurement, network analysis and optimization, and planning and design.
Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet
by Will HuntWhen Will Hunt was sixteen years old, he discovered an abandoned tunnel that ran beneath his house in Providence, Rhode Island. His first tunnel trips inspired a lifelong fascination with exploring underground worlds, from the derelict subway stations and sewers of New York City to the sacred caves, catacombs, and tombs, from bunkers to ancient underground cities in more than twenty countries around the world. Underground is both a personal exploration of Hunt’s obsession and a panoramic study of how we are all connected to the underground, how caves and other dark hollows have frightened and enchanted, repelled and captivated, us through the ages. <p><p> In a narrative spanning continents and epochs, Hunt follows a cast of subterranea-philes who have dedicated themselves to investigating underground worlds. He tracks the origins of life with a team of NASA microbiologists a mile beneath the Black Hills, camps out for three days with urban explorers in the catacombs and sewers of Paris, descends with an Aboriginal family into a 35,000-year-old sacred mine in the Australian outback, follows a ghostlike graffiti artist writing stories in the subway tunnels of New York, and glimpses a sacred sculpture molded by Paleolithic artists in the depths of a cave in the Pyrenees. <p> Each adventure is woven with findings in mythology and anthropology, natural history and neuroscience, literature and philosophy. In elegant and graceful prose, Hunt cures us of our “surface chauvinism,” opening our eyes to the planet’s hidden dimension. He reveals how the subterranean landscape gave shape to our most basic beliefs, including how we think about ourselves as humans. At bottom, Underground is a meditation on the allure of darkness, the power of mystery, and our eternal desire to connect with what we cannot see.
Underland: A Deep Time Journey
by Robert MacfarlaneFrom the best-selling, award-winning author of Landmarks and The Old Ways, a haunting voyage into the planet’s past and future. Hailed as "the great nature writer of this generation" (Wall Street Journal), Robert Macfarlane is the celebrated author of books about the intersections of the human and the natural realms. In Underland, he delivers his masterpiece: an epic exploration of the Earth’s underworlds as they exist in myth, literature, memory, and the land itself. In this highly anticipated sequel to his international bestseller The Old Ways, Macfarlane takes us on an extraordinary journey into our relationship with darkness, burial, and what lies beneath the surface of both place and mind. Traveling through “deep time”—the dizzying expanses of geologic time that stretch away from the present—he moves from the birth of the universe to a post-human future, from the prehistoric art of Norwegian sea caves to the blue depths of the Greenland ice cap, from Bronze Age funeral chambers to the catacomb labyrinth below Paris, and from the underground fungal networks through which trees communicate to a deep-sunk “hiding place” where nuclear waste will be stored for 100,000 years to come. “Woven through Macfarlane’s own travels are the unforgettable stories of descents into the underland made across history by explorers, artists, cavers, divers, mourners, dreamers, and murderers, all of whom have been drawn for different reasons to seek what Cormac McCarthy calls “the awful darkness within the world.” Global in its geography and written with great lyricism and power, Underland speaks powerfully to our present moment. Taking a deep-time view of our planet, Macfarlane here asks a vital and unsettling question: “Are we being good ancestors to the future Earth?” Underland marks a new turn in Macfarlane’s long-term mapping of the relations of landscape and the human heart. From its remarkable opening pages to its deeply moving conclusion, it is a journey into wonder, loss, fear, and hope. At once ancient and urgent, this is a book that will change the way you see the world.
Undermined in Coal Country: On the Measures in a Working Land
by Bill ConlogueA study of lives and landscapes in Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna Valley and “what the region’s history of mining reveals about human folly and endeavor” (The Chronicle of Higher Education).Deep mining ended decades ago in Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna Valley. The barons who made their fortunes have moved on. Low wages and high unemployment haunt the area, and the people left behind wonder whether to stay or seek their fortunes elsewhere.Bill Conlogue explores how two overlapping coal country landscapes—Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Marywood University—have coped with the devastating aftermath of mining. Examining the far-reaching environmental effects of mining, this beautifully written book asks bigger questions about what it means to influence a landscape to this extent—and then to live in it. In prose rivaling that of Annie Dillard and John McPhee, Conlogue argues that, if we are serious about solving environmental problems, if we are serious about knowing where we are and what happens there, we need to attend closely to all places—that is, to attend to the world in a cold, dark, and disorienting universe. Unearthing new ways of thinking about place, pedagogy, and the environment, this meditative text reveals that place is inherently unstable.
Underminers
by Keith FarnishA vibrant, growing movement of radical protest is sweeping North America in opposition to high-stakes capitalism and the appalling environmental desecration that accompanies it. <P><P>At once entertaining, shocking and inspiring, Underminers is the monkey-wrencher's guide to navigating and subverting the industrial machine, showing how symbolic protestors can become real activists; reconnected to one another, and co-creators of a viable future.
Undermining: A Wild Ride Through Land Use, Politics, and Art in the Changing West
by Lucy R. Lippard&“A marvelous slim book [that] weaves . . . ideas, facts, images, and histories into a whole about . . . the ecology of the manmade world.&” —Rebecca Solnit In Undermining, the award-winning author, art historian and social critic Lucy R. Lippard delivers &“another trademark work&” that combines text and full-color images to explore &“the intersection of art, the environment, geography and politics&” (Kirkus Reviews). Working from her own experience of life in a New Mexico village, and inspired by the gravel pits in the surrounding landscape, Lippard addresses a number of fascinating themes—including fracking, mining, land art, adobe buildings, ruins, Indian land rights, the Old West, tourism, photography, and water. In her meditations, she illuminates the relationship between culture, industry, and the land. From threatened Native American sacred sites to the history of uranium mining, she offers a skeptical examination of the &“subterranean economy.&” Featuring more than two hundred gorgeous color images, Undermining offers a provocative new perspective on the relationship between art and place in a rapidly shifting society. &“[Lippard&’s] strength lies in the depth of [her] commitment—her dual loyalty to tradition and modernity and her effort to restore the broken connection between the two.&” —Suzi Gablik, The New York Times Book Review
Undernutrition, Agriculture and Public Provisioning: The Impact on Women and Children in India (Routledge Studies in Development Economics)
by Swarna Sadasivam Vepa Brinda ViswanathanUsing quantitative techniques, this volume provides empirical evidence on the crucial role of public provisioning of food, water, sanitation and health care in reducing undernutrition among women and children in India. The linkages are cogently explored and connected to the sustainable development goals. Key data comes from recent large secondary sources at district, household and individual levels and the econometric methodologies are clearly explained. Taken as a whole, it highlights the effects of public provisioning on malnutrition and identifies the relative importance of agricultural growth in resolving the nutrition problems in rural and semi-urban areas of India. This edited volume will be valuable reading for advanced graduate students, researchers and practitioners in development economics, development studies, and nutrition and public health.
Undersea Vehicles And National Needs
by Committee on Undersea Vehicles National NeedsThe United States faces decisions requiring information about the oceans in vastly expanded scales of time and space and from oceanic sectors not accessible with the suite of tools now used by scientists and engineers. Advances in guidance and control, communications, sensors, and other technologies for undersea vehicles can provide an opportunity to understand the oceans' influence on the energy and chemical balance that sustains humankind and to manage and deliver resources from and beneath the sea. This book assesses the state of undersea vehicle technology and opportunities for vehicle applications in science and industry. It provides guidance about vehicle subsystem development priorities and describes how national research can be focused most effectively.
Understanding Animal Breeding (Second Edition)
by Richard M. BourdonAn experienced animal breeder, Rick Bourdon designed this book to be a modern, technologically up-to-date approach to animal breeding. Understanding Animal Breeding addresses the abstract concepts of animal breeding, presenting the necessary mathematics, but previous experience in genetics and statistics is not assumed. Well organized and readable, the book stresses application, then explains theory for an overall understanding of the material. Coverage explores the latest material on interactions and breeding objectives; performance testing; probabilities and inheritance; the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with multiple alleles; realized response to selection; breeding for uniformity; and biotechnology. For practicing animal breeders as well as those interested in breeding and agriculture.
Understanding Atmospheric Rivers Using Machine Learning (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by Manish Kumar Goyal Shivam SinghThis book delves into the characterization, impacts, drivers, and predictability of atmospheric rivers (AR). It begins with the historical background and mechanisms governing AR formation, giving insights into the global and regional perspectives of ARs, observing their varying manifestations across different geographical contexts. The book explores the key characteristics of ARs, from their frequency and duration to intensity, unraveling the intricate relationship between atmospheric rivers and precipitation. The book also focus on the intersection of ARs with large-scale climate oscillations, such as El Niño and La Niña events, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The chapters help understand how these climate phenomena influence AR behavior, offering a nuanced perspective on climate modeling and prediction. The book also covers artificial intelligence (AI) applications, from pattern recognition to prediction modeling and early warning systems. A case study on AR prediction using deep learning models exemplifies the practical applications of AI in this domain. The book culminates by underscoring the interdisciplinary nature of AR research and the synergy between atmospheric science, climatology, and artificial intelligence
Understanding Built Environment
by Fumihiko Seta Arindam Biswas Ajay Khare Joy SenThis book is a comprehensive document visualizing the future of built environment from a multidisciplinary dimension, with special emphasis on the Indian scenario. The multidisciplinary focus would be helpful for the readers to cross-refer and understand others' perspectives. The text also includes case studies substantiating theoretical research. This method of composition helps the book to maintain rational balance among theory, research and its contextual application. The book comprises selected papers from the National Conference on Sustainable Built Environment. The chapters provide varied viewpoints on the core issues of urbanization and planning. This compilation would be of interest to students, researchers, professionals and policy makers.
Understanding Cancer Prevention through Geospatial Science: Putting Cancer in its Place (Global Perspectives on Health Geography)
by Trevor DummerThe worldwide cancer burden will double over the next two decades, with the number of new cancer diagnoses increasing in all regions of the world. However, it is estimated that around 40% of all cancers are preventable through the appropriate application of existing epidemiological and public health knowledge, and with further research this proportion will increase considerably. This edited volume explores the role of place in cancer prevention and how geospatial tools can be used to support this globally important goal. Its chapters detail many aspects of the application of geospatial science to cancer control, including quantifying exposure to environmental carcinogens, access to screening services, the importance of partnership building, and more through a variety of geographically diverse case studies. The book also offers background on geospatial modeling tools and methods for adding spatial analysis to cancer surveillance systems. The book is rooted firmly in the notion that geography significantly influences the accumulation of cancer risks (at the individual and community level) that are modifiable through policy, regulatory, and behavioral changes. The landscape of cancer prevention is vast, encompassing the building blocks of population and public health—i.e., epidemiology and causation—through risk factor modifications, behavior and policy change, to the interface of the cellular with society, including epigenetic modifications and gene/environment interactions, cancer genomics and precision medicine/health. It is clear that geography (space, place, setting, context) is central to all these activities. Geospatial methods and data support risk factor identification, can elucidate the interaction between individual behavioral, demographic, and genetic factors with community level contextual factors, and can be used to prioritize interventions more accurately towards at-risk people and at-risk population groups. Geography is also central to the organization of health services and hence, by definition, is fundamental to the organization of preventative services. More broadly, adopting a geographical approach can help move cancer prevention beyond a narrow medical definition of health, to tackle the upstream and structural determinants of cancer.
Understanding Climate (Discover Meteorology)
by Megan Cooley PetersonSome climates are dry and some are wet. Some are cold and some are warm. But those words can describe weather too. Learn the difference between weather and climate. Find out how landforms and location can influence weather patterns.
Understanding Climate Change
by Sarah Burch Sara HarrisConversations about climate change are filled with challenges involving complex data, deeply held values, and political issues. Understanding Climate Change provides readers with a concise, accessible, and holistic picture of the climate change problem, including both the scientific and human dimensions.Understanding Climate Change examines climate change as both a scientific and a public policy issue. Sarah L. Burch and Sara E. Harris explain the basics of the climate system, climate models and prediction, and human and biophysical impacts, as well as strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing adaptability, and enabling climate change governance. The authors examine the connections between climate change and other pressing issues, such as human health, poverty, and other environmental problems, and they explore the ways that sustainable responses to climate change can simultaneously address those issues.An effective and integrated introduction to an urgent and controversial issue, Understanding Climate Change contains the tools needed for students, instructors, and decision-makers to become constructive participants in the human response to climate change.
Understanding Climate Change Feedbacks
by Panel On Climate Change FeedbacksDuring the past decade, scientists have learned much about the complex natural processes that influence climate variability and change, and our ability to model climate has increased significantly. We also have begun to better identify those parts of the climate system that are particularly important and not well understood and that therefore limit our ability to project the future evolution of Earth’s climate. One of these critical areas is our understanding of the role of feedbacks in the climate system and their role in determining climate sensitivity. Feedbacks are processes in the climate system that can either amplify or dampen the system’s response to changed forcings. This study looks at what is known and not known about climate change feedbacks and seeks to identify the feedback processes most in need of improved understanding. It identifies key observations needed to monitor and understand climate feedbacks, discusses ways to evaluate progress in understanding climate feedbacks, recommends ways to improve climate modeling and analysis for climate feedbacks research, and identifies priority areas for research.