Professor Catherine Gautier has just coauthored a new edited book, Facing Climate Change Together. Co-edited with Jean-Louis Fellous, Executive Director of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), and written with 24 co-authors, the book contains chapters on aspects and impacts of climate change, the greenhouse effect, clouds, the carbon cycle, atmospheric aerosols and chemistry, the water cycle, and the human dimension in relation to such phenomena. To quote the Cambridge University Press release, “The vast majority of climate scientists now agree that human-induced climate change is a reality, but there is much ongoing research and debate. Nevertheless, our global society is confronted with the urgent need for a wise response to potential climate change. This volume brings together scientists from the US and Europe to review the state-of-the-art in climate change science. It draws from the most recent assessment reports of the IPCC, but scientific jargon has been minimized for readers from different backgrounds. Each chapter provides a description of a particular aspect of the climate problem, its role in current climate change, its potential future impacts, and its societal importance. This book is written for scientists and students in a wide range of fields, such as atmospheric science, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, geology and socioeconomics, who are seeking a coherent and broad review of climate change issues” (Cambridge Press Catalog).
Catherine’s book (available from August 2008) comes on the heels of her book Oil, Water, and Climate, published early this year, which dealt with the complex interactions between energy, water, and climate: “Today’s oil and gas are at record prices, whilst global energy demand is increasing from population and economic development pressures. Climate change, resulting in large part from the burning of fossil fuels, is exacerbating the impacts of the accelerated exploitation of our natural resources. Therefore, anxieties over energy, water, and climate security are at an all-time high. Global action is needed now in order to address this set of urgent challenges and to avoid putting the future of our civilization at risk. This book examines the powerful interconnections that link energy, water, climate and population, exploring viable options in addressing these issues collectively. Difficult political decisions and major reforms in resource governance, policies, market forces, and use are needed and this book provides excellent introductory material to begin to understand and to address these problems” (Cambridge University Press).
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