Contents; Preface; 1. An introduction to the climate problem; 2. Is the climate changing?; 3. Radiation and energy balance; 4. A simple climate model; 5. The carbon cycle; 6. Forcing, feedbacks, and climate sensitivity; 7. Why is the climate changing?; 8. Predictions of future climate change; 9. Impacts of climate change; 10. Exponential growth; 11. Fundamentals of climate change policy; 12. Mitigation policies; 13. A brief history of climate science and politics; 14. Putting it together: A long-term policy to address climate change; Index.
Highly acclaimed textbook on the science, economics, and policy of modern climate change, for both science students and non-science majors.
Andrew E. Dessler is a climate scientist and professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University. He researches atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and climate change policy. He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The first edition of this book won the Louis J. Battan Author's Award from the American Meteorological Society. He has authored two books on climate change: this one, and The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate (with Edward Parson; third edition published in 2019; Cambridge).
'Andrew Dessler is that rare breed of scientist who can contribute
at the leading edge of scientific discovery while adeptly
explaining the science and its implications to lay audiences. With
his newly revised edition of Introduction to Climate Change,
Dessler provides a comprehensive, up-to-date and engaging account
of the science, the impacts, and the policy dimensions of the
climate crisis. Climate change is the defining challenge of our
time and this textbook is the ideal choice to ensure students are
informed about it.' Michael Mann, Penn State University, author of
The New Climate War and Dire Predictions
'In a world dominated by headlines, Dr. Andrew Dessler's
Introduction to Modern Climate Change delivers a fresh take on
something we're all craving: fundamentals. The book begins with the
physical science basis for climate change, from blackbody radiation
to the fluxes and reservoirs of the carbon cycle, before delving
into hot topics, from feedbacks to exponential growth. Dessler
delivers a robust and much-needed framework for addressing modern
global environmental change.' Hari Mix, Santa Clara University
'Introduction to Modern Climate Change has been my text of choice
for a general education class on the topic. It provides students
with the foundations of climate physics, places modern
variations in the context of the geologic record, establishes the
man-made nature of current trends and (uniquely for textbooks on
this matter) discusses the economic and political dimensions of the
problem, and how best to respond to it. This new edition
brings a significant upgrade by adding the most up-to-date numbers
from the IPCC and the Paris Agreements, as well as a greatly
expanded set of engaging graphics, conveying the information most
pertinent to this existential crisis. I heartily recommend this
approachable textbook to any student or scholar.' Julien
Emile-Geay, University of Southern California
'Introduction to Modern Climate Change is essential reading for
anyone interested in anthropogenic global warming. Andrew Dessler's
textbook is easily accessible for students from a range of
backgrounds, as no prior knowledge of Earth Science is needed. It
is the first resource I add to my reading lists, and the new color
figures enhance it further. There are also important updates
concerning the policies of climate change, such as the impact of
the Trump Administration and the Paris Agreement.' Matt Smith,
University of Worcester
'… an excellent textbook for the general audience of undergraduates
… In the third edition there are more exercises than in earlier
editions, allowing the instructor to emphasize those exercises
depending on the particular department providing the course … An
important update is the transition to colored graphics throughout
the book, which bring to life the arguments in the text … Dessler
is a very gifted writer for the general reader … In this book he
engages the reader with relevant analogies from everyday life …
Most importantly his presentation is clear. His arguments are
strong and presented passionately … I grade the third edition as
excellent.' Gerald R. North, Texas A&M University
Praise for the third edition: '… a textbook about the scientific
basis for global climate change that's well balanced, well written,
highly illuminating, and accessible to non-science majors.' John M.
Wallace, University of Washington
'I was so impressed with its simple and compelling coverage of the
science of climate change, and, just as importantly, its social and
political context. The students loved the book - some even
commented that it was the first time they had actually understood
and enjoyed reading a science book.' Steve Easterbrook, University
of Toronto
'Dessler's book is written so clearly that anyone can read it and
understand the major issues in climate change. It hits just the
right balance between rigor and comfort, making the whole topic
more appealing and accessible to students.' Deborah Lawrence,
University of Virginia
'The text provides a readable, concise summary of the science of
climate change, but it is the nonscientific aspects of the book
that set it apart … a well-crafted textbook. The writing is very
accessible without being too simplistic. The combination of a broad
overview of the science and policy of climate change is both novel
and appropriate for … an introductory-level survey course on
climate change. Reading the book was a learning experience for me,
and I would happily recommend this book to anyone seeking an
introduction to climate change.' Guillaume Mauger, Bulletin of the
American Meteorological Society
'The book reads extremely well: it uses stories, analogues, and
examples to draw the reader into the story of the science of our
changing planet. Despite the complexity of the actual science,
Dessler presents the material in a clear manner and does it without
drawing on mathematics any more difficult than simple algebra … I
recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about
climate change and the challenges it presents to humanity.' Donald
J. Wuebbles, Physics Today
'Dessler has done an excellent job of clearly describing the
different issues of climate change in a way that will be accessible
to both science and non-science majors. I can see this book
becoming the standard textbook for the growing number of
introductory courses that discuss both the science and policy of
climate change.' Darryn Waugh, Johns Hopkins University
'Dessler does an excellent job of simply explaining the science …
should be on the reading list of anyone with an interest in climate
science, if for no other reason that it introduces a complex
subject in such a coherent and comprehensible fashion.' John
Brittan, The Leading Edge
'All in all, I expect that this third edition of Introduction to
modern Climate Change will continue to be a popular choice in
climate science education. It is written for use in undergraduate
modules and courses, and it does an excellent job of explaining the
fundamentals of climate science and combining these with an
insightful treatise of the impacts on society, economy and
politics.' John F. Hiemstra, The Holocene
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