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Books that discuss tipping points
August 25, 2007 by Fred Bortz, 2 years 10 weeks ago
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Over the past decade, I have reviewed a series of books on weather and climate, including the following that discuss tipping points. I have also added a few reviews of such books by other reviewers, with their permission.
Ventana's rosy scenario is not supported by any of them. On the other hand, warning signs of trouble if we cross over into a new climate regime abound.
Among the reviewed books that explicitly mention tipping points are the following (in reverse chronological order:
Comparative review: Field Notes From A Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change by Elizabeth Kolbert (2006) and The Weather Makers: How Man is Changing the Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth by Tim Flannery (2006)
Climate Crash: Abrupt Climate Change and What It Means for Our Future by John D. Cox (2005)
A Matter of Degrees: What Temperature Reveals About the Past and Future of Our Species, Planet, and Universe by Gino Segre (2002)
The Coming Storm: Extreme Weather and Our Terrifying Future by Bob Reiss (2001)
The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850 by Brian Fagan (2001)
Our Final Hour: A Scientist's Warning; How Terror, Error, and Environmental Disaster Threaten Humankind's Future in This Century On Earth and Beyond by Martin Rees(2001)
The Change in the Weather: People, Weather, and the Science of Climate by William K. Stevens (1999)
It is interesting to note that the concern about tipping points has steadily grown over the years as more evidence accumulates.
Fred Bortz -- Science and technology books for young readers (www.fredbortz.com) and Science book reviews (www.scienceshelf.com)