Climate Change

There is no longer any question that the planet is warming, and that this warming is caused by human activity. Shrinking glaciers and melting permafrost, erratic weather patterns and threatened water supplies are already affecting the lives of people around the globe. Climate change has been called the single greatest threat confronting societies today. The crisis is real, but there is little consensus about how to confront the problem, because the science is complex, the economic, political and social implications of taking action are far reaching, and the scope of the problem is vast. Climate Change -- A Groundwork Guide addresses the main questions. What is happening, and how did we get here? What is the basic science behind climate change? What is going to happen in the future? Why is it so hard for us to accept what is going on, and what can we do about it? Perhaps most important, this book acknowledges that the issue involves much more than agreeing on the underlying science. Climate change is an emotionally charged political and philosophical issue as well. It affects how governments and industry form policy, the choices we all make in our daily lives, how we look at the rest of the world, and what kind of world we want to leave to future generations. And it is an issue of particular importance to young adults, because long after our current leaders are dead and gone, it is young people who will be left to deal with the consequences bequeathed to them by today's policy-makers. Charts, maps, glossary, index and suggestions for further reading accompany the text. The Groundwork Guides provide an overview of key contemporary political and social issues. Engaging, concise and clearly written, these books tackle pressing and sometimes controversial topics, offering both a lively introduction to the subject and a strong point of view.