Is the temperature rising?

Blurb

Is the Temperature Rising? Well, yes, according to S. George Philander, a geoscientist at Princeton University whose introductory course in climatology provided the seed of this book. Written in a clear, literate style aimed at the layperson, Philander is a welcome antidote to the all-too-often sensational claims made by one side or the other in the global-warming debate. This is not to say that his book is comforting: Philander has little doubt that current conditions on earth--the proliferation of CFCs in the atmosphere, the forest fires and factory emissions that contribute to the destruction of the ozone and to the blanket of gases that trap heat--are having damaging effects. In the long run, he writes, the earth can take care of itself, adapting to the changes in its atmosphere; over the short term, however, the picture is grimmer, for no one can predict with any certainty just how these atmospheric changes will play out. And herein lies the real interest in Is the Temperature Rising? Rather than rant about imminent doom or deny it, Philander explains just why it is so difficult to forecast the consequences of global warming. Clouds, for example, are a huge uncertainty, since they can either heat or cool the earth depending on their form.

But just because you can't predict exactly what will happen is no reason not to do something about the problem, Philander argues. He opposes those who suggest we wait for more accurate scientific information about global warming on the grounds that the science of climatology will never be exact; put off making decisions for too long, he warns, and it could be too late. Is the Temperature Rising? is both a solid explanation of the factors that contribute to global warning and a no-nonsense exhortation to act while there is still time.