Description
- Kevin E. Trenberth emphasizes the fundamental role of energy flows in the climate system and anthropogenic climate change. The distribution of heat, or more generally, energy, is the main determinant of weather patterns in the atmosphere and their impacts. The topics addressed cover many facets of climate and the climate crisis. These include the diurnal cycle; the seasons; energy differences between the continents and the oceans, the poles and the tropics; interannual variability such as Niño; natural decadal variability; and ice ages. Human-induced climate change rides on and interacts with all of these natural phenomena, and the result is an unevenly warming planet and changing weather extremes. The book emphasizes the need to not only slow or stop climate change, but also to better prepare for it and build resilience. Students, researchers, and professionals from a wide range of backgrounds will benefit from this deeper understanding of climate change.
- Elegant and novel explanation of climate change, emphasizing the fundamental role of energy flows in the climate system
- Emphasizes physical understanding and concepts of the climate system, but avoids complex mathematics
- Includes many original color figures that will be useful for students and teachers in universities and high schools
- A complete but concise explanation of climate and climate change, from observations to modeling to attribution, prediction, impacts, mitigation, adaptation, geoengineering, social science, economics and politics
