Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 'business as usual' .... I don't think so. July 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
no politition could read this book and stay in office with 'business as usual' without being in total denial. not sensational in it's presentation, but leaves little to the imagination. Surely we've had it, haven't we? Don't leave too much money to your children - it will be of little use.
 BAFFLED June 17, 2008
1 out of 21 found this review helpful
One thing baffles me about this book by an evangelical warmista - and I wish Lynas would answer. He has not addressed one simple proven fact... that in the last 10 years the globe has been cooling quite markedly at a time when carbon emissions have never been higher. How does he square this with his alarmist views ? The fact is that a very great many reputable scientists the world over question whether anything we do has any effect on our climate - though clearly we pollute our environment and destroy the habitat for other creatures; but that is a different issue. The globe has warmed and cooled, warmed and cooled, for many billions of years and our climate has changed and will continue to change regardless of these tiny specks called humans.
Global warming was until around 2,000, since when the globe has been cooling. Will it warm up again ? Who knows ? There are only computer projections and we know those cannot not even get the long range weather forecast right for the British Isles
 A worthwhile read - shame the only picture is the naff cover design. June 16, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
In some ways this is just another popular book about climate change, which perhaps is why the publishers opted for the (IMO unnecessary) "look-at-me" cover. But, then, only the inept judge books by their covers.
Lynas approaches climate change by describing things that may happen when average global temperatures rise by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 degrees respectively and provides successive chapters for these scenarios. This presentation sequence is, IMO, very effective.
Writing for the non-specialist audience, he takes a broad-brush approach choosing, rightly IMO, not to burden the reader with details but giving a 50-page Notes section at the end listing references to details referred to in the text. On the downside, there are no diagrams - not even line graphics. For me this detracted from the presentation, which I found otherwise very engaging.
So much, then, for how he says things. I would, however, have some criticisms of what he says. First of all, though he claims that anthropogenic carbon emissions are causing global warming, whether they are it's sole cause is a matter open to legitimate debate. (No - I'm not a warming-skeptic, just a little obsessional about the science.) Given the reaction from scientifically illiterate skeptics, I do worry that people who write about global warming, particularly in the popular science genre, simply don't give a balanced view.
There is substantial scientific evidence that global temperature variations and CO2 levels have varied widely in the pre-human past. It is possible that all human CO2 emissions are doing are adding a little more feedback to what is otherwise a natural process. This is not an argument for not moderating such emissions, but it should alert us to be very careful about deciding what we do about climate change. It may be that even substantial emission reductions can change outcomes only to a limited extent. In that case carbon sequestration and measures to raise Earth's albedo might be better investments than the current green orthodoxy.
Still, I hope this goes to a second edition and that if it does, they'll:
(a) drop the naff cover design and put some pictures and diagrams - and above all MAPS - inside,
and
(b)be more balanced about the causes of global warming.
I'd recommend this book as an introduction to climate change for any lay reader who hasn't yet read anything about it (if that's possible). On the other hand I'd encourage anyone who does read it to look at other material on offer. Climate change is a complex subject and, with the best will in the world, nobody can do it justice in the popular science genre.
Required to Help Understand Climate Change June 10, 2008
Here we are confused and scared about what is to happen next. Each side picks what they believe to be key evidence which points to what will happen in the future. But here's the rub we don't know! Historical evidence is useful showing us what could happen within the natural cycle. But are we within a natural cycle? Has the planet ever had a species which over hundreds of years has released stored carbon and methane (as well as other "thermally opaque" gases) into the atmosphere over such a relatively short time?
What do we do?
First, we need to know what could happen then allocate sufficient resources to make sure we are secure against the unacceptable. This book sets these possible levels of that "unacceptable" change.
It allows us to understand that doing nothing is actually an action; doing nothing means "Business as Usual" which means the continued emissions of Giga Tonnes of global warming gases into the atmosphere.
Anyone for Russian roulette?
Worrying.. .Very Convincingly Worrying May 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Yes, it's a book that forecasts apocalypse if we don't change our profligate ways, and we will all be consigned to an environmental hell for not taking our responsibilities as stewards of this planet seriously- and don't 'say that Mark Lynas did not warn you!!
Yeh, and if you would like to hide in the security blanket that this is just another 'green rant' then sorry folks - the issue itself will not go away, so give this book a read.
Why?
For start he bases his arguments by devoting a separate chapter to various scenarios, i.e. One Degree Warmer, Two Degrees and up to Six.
I would suggest to even the most casual of readers that by the time you get to 'Two Degrees' you will at least be thinking 'Oh dear' (and either become very worried or so annoyed that you start thinking up arguments as to why he is wrong- you hope).
That aside, it is a very gripping read as one travels from very worrying One Degree warmer to the Fearful Six Degrees.
And a very clear and concise account for the ordinary reader.
OK Mr Lynas is not 'qualified' but he has produced a very detailed work with a good amount of commentary based on the Earth's history. Yes, some might be hyperbole because the writer wants to get his point across. But that is not the issue...
This is....
Even if just one-quarter of what Mr Lynas asserts is true then we had better pay attention to how each of us is treating this planet and its resources. He has convinced me!!
One niggle I must agree with - the cover. A scorched desert bone strewn desert might have been more accurate.
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