Suggested Reading on Climate Change

Listed below are a few resources that I believe are invaluable to those seeking information about the current science of climate change:

Web Documents:

IPCC 2007 FAQ
This is a set of Frequently Asked Questions with answers that are taken directly from the IPCC Working Group I Reports, but with language that is easily understood by the non-scientist. All persons interested in the latest science of climate change should begin with this document. The IPCC Working Group I (WG I) assesses the physical scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change. The main topics assessed by WG I include: changes in greenhouse gases and aerosols in the atmosphere; observed changes in air, land and ocean temperatures, rainfall, glaciers and ice sheets, oceans and sea level; historical and paleoclimatic perspective on climate change; biogeochemistry, carbon cycle, gases and aerosols; satellite data and other data; climate models; climate projections, causes and attribution of climate change.

Synthesis Report from the Climate Change Congress 2009

The Synthesis Report adds the latest research to the basis of knowledge on climate change compiled in the IPCC reports. This conference is one of the world's largest ever interdisciplinary conferences on climate change with more than 2,000 participants from around 80 countries. The Congress is the result of a unique cooperation between ten of the world's leading universities; the International Alliance of Re-search universities (IARU), which consists of Austra-lian National University, ETH - Zürich, National University of Singapore, Peking University, University of California - Berkeley, University of Cambridge, University of Copenhagen, University of Oxford, University of Tokyo and Yale University.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Science of Climate Change 2008 Update

This FAQ by Atmospheric Science Assessment and Integration Section Science and Technology Branch of Environment Canada covers all the major climate change topics in a very easy to read, illustrated format.

Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years

In response to a request from Congress, the National Academy of Sciences prepared Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years which assesses the state of scientific efforts to reconstruct surface temperature records for Earth during approximately the last 2,000 years and the implications of these efforts for our understanding of global climate change. Because widespread, reliable temperature records are available only for the last 150 years, scientists estimate temperatures in the more distant past by analyzing "proxy evidence," which includes tree rings, corals, ocean and lake sediments, cave deposits, ice cores, boreholes, and glaciers. Starting in the late 1990s, scientists began using sophisticated methods to combine proxy evidence from many different locations in an effort to estimate surface temperature changes during the last few hundred to few thousand years. This online book is an important resource in helping to understand the intricacies of global climate change.

Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States

The report by The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) summarizes the science and the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. It focuses on climate change impacts in different regions of the U.S. and on various aspects of society and the economy such as energy, water, agriculture, and health. It’s also a report written in plain language, with the goal of better informing public and private decision making at all levels. In addition to discussing the impacts of climate change in the U.S., the report also highlights the choices we face in response to human-induced climate change.

Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air - How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to Manufacture Uncertainty on Climate Science

The Union of Concerned Scientists expose shows how ExxonMobil waged the most successful and sophisticated global warming denial campaign since that of Big Tobacco's campaign against the dangers of smoking. In their 64 page document, they show that ExxonMobil:
1. Manufactured uncertainty about climate change by raising doubts about even the most certain science.
2. Used a tactic known as information laundering by using seemingly independent front groups that pretended to be doing science but were instead just waging public relations for the company. Virtually all of these front groups publicize the work of the same people and these people typically serve as board members or scientific advisors for each of these groups. This tactic creates the illusion that there are many organizations and many people with doubts about global warming.
3. Funneled about $16 million to these front groups to manufacture this uncertainty.
4. Paid guilt-less scientists to cherry-pick data and misrepresent peer-reviewed scientific evidence whereby these scientists then used this misinformation to persuade the general public and the media that there was still no scientific consensus.
5. Shifted the focus away from global warming action by questioning if the data was "sound science".
6. Used its extraordinary access to the Bush Administration to block regulation and to shape governmental communications about global warming.

Blogs and News:

Realclimate.org - Climate science blog by expert climate scientists (can be a bit technical for non-scientists)
Skeptical Science - Superbly researched and illustrated blog that examines climate change skepticism
Open Mind - Climate science blog from a world-class mathematician/modeler
ClimateSight.org - Very impressive blog by a high school student that addresses key climate change issues (very readable by all)
Climate Change - Blog by Chris Colose for those that like more technical discussions
A Few Things Ill Considered - Blog from climate expert Coby Beck
Deep Climate - Focused on the organizations that propagate climate science disinformation and the public relations professionals who have worked behind the scenes to ensure maximum impact of that disinformation
DeSmogBlog - The DeSmogBlog Project began in January 2006 and quickly became the world’s number one source for accurate, fact based information regarding Global Warming misinformation campaigns
Climate Progress - Climate Progress is dedicated to providing the progressive perspective on climate science, climate solutions, and climate politics and is run by Joseph Romm
Sourcewatch - Check here to see if that organization or person has ties to the anti-global warming fossil fuel industry
Exxonsecrets - Check here to see if that organization or person has ties to ExxonMobil
Yale Environment 360 - Online magazine offering opinion, analysis, reporting and debate on global environmental issues

Books:

The Discovery of Global Warming by Spencer R. Weart
This is the first book one should read if new to the subject of climate change (global warming). Spencer R. Weart, director of the Center for the History of Physics of the American Institute of Physics, takes the reader on a journey that begins as a scientific detective story about what caused the ice ages and ends up being the story of how scientists realized that humans were influencing climate more than nature. Excerpt from review by Andrew C. Revkin, New York Times Sunday Book Review, 10/5/2003:
"Debate persists over the extent of human-driven warming and what to do about it. But recognition that in a short span our species has nudged the thermostat of the planet remains a momentous, and sobering, finding. "The Discovery of Global Warming" describes the intellectual journey toward that conclusion, with all of its false starts, flawed hypotheses, inventiveness and persistent uncertainties. It reveals the effort as one of the great exercises in collective sleuthing, with pivotal insights provided by experts in fields as varied as glaciology, physics and even plankton paleontology."

Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming by Michael E. Mann and Lee R. Kump

The IPCC documents are quite heavy for the non-scientist who wishes to learn about the current state of climate change science. This book provides the reader with the most important information of these IPCC documents in an easy-to-read, highly illustrated format. A 7^th grade student could easily understand the IPCC reports after reading this book.

Climate Change: Picturing the Science by Gavin Schmidt and Joshua Wolfe

As noted by the authors, this book was structured around a medical metaphor of symptoms, diagnosis, and possible cures. The book is a collection of essays from scientists from many fields: climatology, meteorology, biology, geology, oceanography, chemistry, climate modeling, environmental politics, astrophysics, and other fields, so it becomes clear to the reader how climate change has impacted all aspects of planet Earth. The authors have summarized the latest research in climate science in a style that makes the information very accessible to the non-scientist. The authors also make it clear what is well known vs. what is not well known in the rapidly evolving field of climate science. A very fair representation of the current science.

Earth's Climate: Past and Future by William F. Ruddiman

As the title suggests, this book describes the cause and effect relationship between climate forcing and climate change from ancient climate to the present. Ruddiman also explains how human activities are likely causing the climate change in recent times and the possible future changes. This book is primarily designed to be a textbook aimed at undergraduates in science or for non-science majors taking an entry-level science course. It is also appropriate for the general public but it is written at a much higher level than the books listed above. Ruddiman uses the scientific method to build his topics. He begins with a hypothesis, explores the data, and then discusses if the hypothesis is valid or not. This writing style shows how scientists approach problems and how they offer possible solutions. The illustrations are superb - quite a few have been used in this site.

Hell and High Water: Global Warming--the Solution and the Politics--and What We Should Do by Joseph Romm

Joseph Romm is a physicist and founder and director of the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions. Romm presents a very sobering outlook on the consequences of failing to act on global warming. His book is divided into two parts. The first, The Science and the Future of Global Warming contains a wealth of information about how human emissions are causing global warming and the likely best-case and worse-case scenarios of action vs. inaction. The notes that go along with this chapter are invaluable. The second section, The Politics and the Solution details how politics have trumped science and why this rhetoric has allowed people to believe that technology will save us so no actions to prevent climate change are required.

Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming by James Hoggan

A real eye-opener for those that wonder why the overwhelming scientific consensus about anthropogenic global warming is not reaching the general public. There has been and still is a well-orchestrated campaign by the fossil fuel industry to deliberately confuse the general public with misleading statements and publications presented by the few scientists that are "on the take" from this industry. Hoggan, who founded DeSmogBlog.com, exposes the individuals and the organizations behind the global warming cover-up. You will be saddened and likely outraged at how the misinformation lobby is willing to sacrifice our children's future to save a few dollars today.

Videos:

Greg Craven's: How It All Ends
These videos from high school science teacher, Greg Craven, reframe the question "Are we certain we're responsible for global warming?" to "Given the risks and uncertainties of global warming, what is the best action to take?" Greg uses simple explanations of complex topics, along with humor, to get the viewer to understand the scientific method and risk management regarding the topic of climate change. A brilliant collection of videos.

Climate Denial Crock of the Week
Peter Sinclair is a long time advocate of environmental awareness and energy alternatives. An award winning graphic artist, illustrator, and animator, Mr. Sinclair runs Greenman Studio from his home in Midland, MI. Mr. Sinclairs cartoons and illustrations have appeared in newspapers around the world, and his work has been profiled in numerous publications, including the New York Times, The Utne Reader, and HaAretz of Jerusalem. Constantly updated information, made vivid with striking, clear graphics and animations, many derived from NASA, The National Snow and Ice Data Center, and top international sources, an expert knowledge of the issues of energy and environment, and an informal, good humored delivery, make difficult concepts easy to see and grasp.

Professor Mandia's Presentations:

Global Warming: Separating Fact from Fiction
A public presentation from November 2009 that explains many of the most popular falsehoods and misleading statements that attempt to show that there is no AGW. The vast gulf between what scientists are saying and what Americans are hearing is primarily a result of the oil-funded front groups, lobby efforts, and political ideology.

Global Warming: Man or Myth?
A public presentation from March 2009 that shows how climate is changing and why the modern day global warming is being driven by humans and not nature. This presentation led to the creation of this Website!

Global Warming FAQ
A public presentation from April 2008 that shows how climate is changing according to the IPCC WGI Report.

• Introduction
• The Scientific Consensus
• Determining the Climate Record
• Impact of Greenhouse Gases
• Climate Change: The Smoking Gun for Humans
• Natural Causes of Climate Change
• Global Cooling?
• Climate Models & Accuracy
• Modern Day Climate Change
• The Global Warming Denial Machine
• Summary of Key Points
• Works Cited

Last updated: 11/21/09