Climate change and global warming are accepted facts by many, but in any crowd there are bound to be one or two skeptics. In order to help these disbelievers understand the scientific data available, Seth Darling and Doug Sisterson have written a comprehensive guide. With humor and copious research, the authors (both researchers at a U.S. Department of Energy research laboratory) take 15 of the most common arguments against climate change and turn them upside down, providing nonbelievers and supporters of climate change with statistics and analysis that will help them fully understand the problems the world faces.
Topics include "the confusion of climate with weather," "claims that global warming isn't such a bad thing," "the belief that reports about climate change are all parts of a conspiracy" and concerns that "carbon taxes will kill jobs and hurt the poor." Darling and Sisterson show the connections between human activity on a global scale and the increases in the Earth's temperature, coastal flooding, aggressive rain- and snowstorms, ocean acidification and the damage to biodiversity and plant and animal habitats. However, the authors leave readers on an optimistic note: although the data shows that planetary changes are occurring, they stress that the damage can be mitigated, providing humans are willing to act immediately and shift toward alternative energy sources. For those who want a more thorough grasp of the situation or need facts and figures to help sway others, this book is right on target. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer