The science and politics of global climate change: a guide to the debate

1. Global climate change : a new type of environmental problem

1.1. Background on climate and climate change

1.2. Background on climate-change policy

1.3. Plan of the book

2. Science, politics, and science in politics

2.1. Justifications for action : positive statements and normative statements

2.2. How science works

2.3. Politics and policy debates

2.4. When science and politics meet

2.5. Limiting the damage : the role of scientific assessments

Further reading for chapter 2

3. Climate change : present scientific knowledge and uncertainties

3.1. Is the climate changing?

3.2. Are human activities responsible for global warming?

3.3. What future changes can we expect? : predicting climate change over the twentyfirst century

3.4. What will the impacts of climate change be?

3.5. Conclusions

Further reading for chapter 3

4. The climate-change policy debate : impacts and potential responses

4.1. Impacts and adaptation

4.2. Emissions and mitigation responses

4.3. Putting it together : balancing benefits and costs of mitigation and adaptation

4.4. A third class of response : geoengineering

4.5. Conclusion : policy choices under uncertainty

Further reading for chapter 4

5. The present impasse and steps forward

5.1. Climate-change politics : present positions

5.2. Climate-change politics : the arguments against action

5.3. The present policy debate : use of scientific knowledge and uncertainty

5.4. So what should be done? : major choices and elements of an effective response

5.5. Conclusion

Further reading for chapter 5

Appendix

Glossary.