Publisher's Synopsis
This work offers complete, authoritative coverage of the science, policy, and social issues surrounding global warming and climate change. ""The Encyclopedia of Global Warming"" provides comprehensive coverage of the questions of global warming and climate change, including scientific descriptions and explanations of all factors, from carbon dioxide to sunspots, that might contribute to climate change. It is designed to provide students at the high school and undergraduate levels with a convenient source of information on fundamental science and sociopolitical issues, including the debates and controversies, surrounding climate change. The study of climate change involves not only scientists but also politicians, policy makers, businesses, government and nongovernment agencies, and the general public. A student attempting to understand both the environmental science and social issues and controversies will encounter not just scientific terms and concepts but political organizations, geographic areas, social concepts, persons, countries, organizations, and laws as well. Each essay in the set falls into one or more of the following broad categories: animals; Arctic and Antarctic; astronomy; chemistry and geochemistry; climatic events and epochs; conferences and meetings; cryology and glaciology; diseases and health effects; economics, industries, and products; energy; environmentalism, conservation, and ecosystems; ethics, human rights, and social justice; fossil fuels; geology and geography; laws, treaties, and protocols; meteorology and atmospheric sciences; nations and people; oceanography; organizations and agencies; physics and geophysics; plants and vegetation; pollution and waste; popular culture and society; science and technology; transportation; and, water resources. The essays in this set range from 400 to 2,000 words in length. They are arranged in one of six types of essay format: 'Term' essays describe a concept and explain its significance for climate change; 'Overview' essays provide broad overviews of a scientific, policy, or social phenomenon or debate; 'Organization' essays provide the date of establishment of an organization and discuss its mission and significance for climate change; 'Biographical' essays provide biographical information on people, followed by descriptions of their life and climate work; and, 'Top-Twenty Emitter' essays provide information on each of the twenty nations with the highest annual emissions of greenhouse gases - they also provide discussions of the historical and political context of the nation's climatic impact. 'Law and Treaty' essays provide the date of passage or ratification of the law and protocol, as well as lists of all participating nations, and continue with discussions of background, summary of provisions, and significance for climate change.
