Start a web search for "climate change" and the first three suggestions are "facts," "news," and "hoax." The AMS Guide to Climate Change is rooted in the first, up to date on the second, and anything but the last. Produced by one of the most venerable atmospheric science organizations, it is a must-read for anyone looking for the full story on climate change.
Using global research and written with nonscientists in mind, The AMS Guide to Climate Change breaks down the issues into straightforward categories: "Symptoms" covers signs such as melting ice and extreme weather, while "Science" lays out what we know and how we figured it out. "Debates" tackles the controversy and politics, while "Solutions" and "Actions" discuss what we can do as individuals and communities to create the best possible future. Full-color illustrations offer explanations of everything from how the greenhouse effect traps heat to which activities in everyday life emit the most carbon. Special-feature boxes zoom in on locations across the globe already experiencing the effects of a shifting climate.
The AMS Guide to Climate Change has science at its foundation and combines years of data with recent research, including conclusions from the Fifth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The AMS Guide to Climate Change provides the most comprehensive, yet accessible, overview of where climate science stands today, acknowledging controversies but standing strong in its stance that the climate is changing-and something needs to be done. As extreme weather and the effects of climate change continue to make headlines, The AMS Guide to Climate Change is the authoritative handbook for one of most important stories of our time.
Robert Henson is an editor at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, contributing editor of Weatherwise magazine, and a frequent guest blogger for Capital Weather Gang. He is the author of The Rough Guide to Weather and Weather on the Air: A History of Broadcast Meteorology. He is based in Boulder, Colorado.