The evidence continues to mount: Climate change is for real! But what does it all really mean, and what can we do about it? In this concise, highly readable narrative, a leading environment scientist and educator takes a scrupulously balanced approach to explaining the history of global climate monitoring and change. Here are the whos, hows, whats, whens, wheres, and whys of the interaction between human activity and recent trends in the Earth's climate. -- from back cover.

1. Climate change: An introduction -- It's such a hot topic! -- So why all the fuss? -- Putting things into perspective -- So how did carbon dioxide get the blame? -- What is the IPCC and what has it reported? -- So where do we go from here? -- Change is in the air! -- 2. Climate change: The cause -- Past climate change -- The greenhouse effect -- Greenhouse gases -- So global warming is a bad thing, right? -- So global warming is a good thing, right? -- The human factor -- The earth: A systems approach -- The carbon cycle: A system out of balance -- 3. Climate change: The consequences -- The temperature is rising -- A global meltdown -- Rising sea levels -- Changing ocean currents -- Changes in precipitation and the water cycle -- The effect on ecosystems and biodiversity -- Effects on ocean chemistry -- The effect on humans -- Will global cooling help offset the consequences of enhanced global warming and climate change? -- 4. Climate change: The solutions -- The role of the governments of the world -- Solutions for dealing with climate change -- 5. Climate change: What steps can I take? -- Do try this at home -- if you can! -- What is my ecological or carbon footprint? -- How many refrigerators full of carbon dioxide do I emit by driving my car? -- How many refrigerators full of carbon dioxide do I emit by using electricity in my home? -- Simple things to save money and the planet! -- An Inconvenient Truth: The verdict is in!.