Climate Change (2^nd Ed., Revised edition)
Biological and Human Aspects

The second edition of this acclaimed text has been fully updated and substantially expanded to include the considerable developments (since publication of the first edition) in our understanding of the science of climate change, its impacts on biological and human systems, and developments in climate policy. Written in an accessible style, it provides a broad review of past, present and likely future climate change from the viewpoints of biology, ecology, human ecology and Earth system science. It will again prove to be invaluable to a wide range of readers, from students in the life sciences who need a brief overview of the basics of climate science, to atmospheric science, geography, geoscience and environmental science students who need to understand the biological and human ecological implications of climate change. It is also a valuable reference text for those involved in environmental monitoring, conservation and policy making.

1. An introduction to climate change; 2. Principal indicators of past climates; 3. Past climate change; 4. The Oligocene to the Quaternary: climate and biology; 5. Present climate and biological change; 6. Current warming and likely future impacts; 7. The human ecology of climate change; 8. Sustainability and policy; Appendix 1. Glossary and abbreviations; Appendix 2. Bio-geological chronology; Appendix 3. Calculations of energy demand/supply and orders of magnitude; Appendix 4. Further thoughts for consideration; Index.

Jonathan Cowie has spent many years conveying the views of learned societies in the biological sciences to policy-makers and in science communication (promotion, publishing and press liaison). His earlier postgraduate studies related to energy and the environment. He is a former Head of Science Policy and Books at the Institute of Biology (UK). He is also author of Climate and Human Change: Disaster or Opportunity (1998).