Global Warming: A Very Short Introduction

If the tech writers for Panasonic and Canon could write as clearly as Mark Maslin, I could probably program all my electronics without asking my teenage son for help! In 148 pages, he provides as much fair and balanced insight into the science and the politics of "global warming" as any five other books I've looked at, and as much information as most of us might need to behave as responsible citizens. Although the book is already "out of date" in view of the recent release of the 2007 IPCC report, none of its main points, either of science or of societal concern, have been supplanted. Maslin is clearly convinced that anthropogenic climate change is occurring, and that it would be proper to take precautionary steps to deal with its possible effects. But he gives the skeptics their due, dispassionately summarizing their objections and responding respectfully when a response is available. He is NOT an alarmist, though he plainly thinks that some alarm is a reasonable reaction to the best-case scenarios as well as the worst. I don't usually squeal that such-and-such book is a MUST-READ for everyone's sewing circle, Sunday School class, and dog-walker. If I had the means, however, I'd send every household in the USA a copy of this book along with the seasonal catalogues. My thanks to Jay, the only previous reviewer, for bringing this useful little book to my attention.

The information contained in these 148 pages is worth more than the bloviating and obfuscating in "Global Warming and Other Eco-Myths," "Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming," and all the other books whose mission it is to "refute" global warming for a simple reason: the aim of the book is to explain a phenomenon with evidence, not to refute something based on a pre-determined conclusion. Maslin gives an explanation of what global warming is, discusses the history of contemporary scientific concerns about global warming, the models for the future, the impacts of climate change, possible surprises, the political solutions offered, some possible technical alternatives that will help, and then gives his conclusion. The author is not optimistic about the political solutions thus far offered, and believes that alternative energy sources are the best solution. He says, "Though great strides forward have been made in alternative energies, it seems unlikely that these will produce energy on the scale we require in the next few decades. As I am a great believer in humanity's adaptability, I am sure these will be available by the end of the century. But a considerable increase in investment is required if we are to convert the renewable energy by the end of the century." In essence, if the global community acts now, argues Maslin, then the effects of climate change can be mitigated, but this will require long-term planning. "So global warming challenges the very way we organize our society." Buy the book and educate yourself about these vital issues.