Climate Affairs

Climate Affairs sets forth in a concise primer the base of knowledge needed to begin to address questions surrounding the unknown impacts of climate change. In so doing, it outlines a new approach to understanding the interactions among climate, society, and the environment. Chapters consider: - the key concepts and terms in climate affairs- the effects of climate around the world- important but overlooked aspects of climate-society-environment interactions- examples of societal uses, misuses, and potential uses of climate-related information such as forecasts- a research agenda, challenges, and methodologies for future climate research.Climate Affairs draws on a range of study areas--including climate science, impacts on ecosystems and society, politics, policy and law, economics, and ethics--to address the complexity and gravity of impacts that our increasing vulnerability to climate portends. It is the first book to consider the full range of climate-related topics and the interactions among them, and will be a key resource for decision makers, as well as for students and scholars working in climate and related fields.