Weather, Climate and Climate Change: Human Perspectives

Weather, Climate and Climate Change: Human Perspectives provides an up-to-date and accessible analysis of one of the most crucial and contentious issues facing the world today - the processes and consequences of natural and human-induced changes in the structure and function of the climate system. The theory of, and evidence for, climate change forms a central role in the text along with how weather and climate impacts on environment and society. Examining the issues as a continuum, the authors present an argument that is both highly topical and contextualised for students and academics alike.Features include: An introductory examination of the major components of the climate system including coverage of the impact of mass and energy on wind motion, atmosphere/ocean interactions, synoptic weather systems, local and urban climates, air pollution episodes, ice cores and ice ages, global warming and climate extremes including drought, storm and flood. A detailed analysis of how future weather and climates can be modelled. An investigation of climate and climate change within a regional framework and through the examination of the climate of high, middle and low latitudes. Case studies which illustrate and synthesise the main themes within the text. A chapter on 'Climate-human adjustment' which draws on case studies from both the developed and the developing world to explore critical issues such as the varying adaptive capacity, vulnerability and risk of regions and societies to extreme weather events. Latest scientific developments which are integrated in context throughout the text. Weather, Climate and Climate Change will be essential reading to students, academics and professionals in the fields of climate, meteorology and global climate change and of broader interest to those in physical geography and environmental studies/science in general. Greg O'Hare is Professor of Geography at the University of Derby.John Sweeney is Senior Lecturer in Geography at National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland.Rob Wilby is the Climate Change Science Manager at the Environment Agency, having taken leave of absence from the Department of Geography, King's College London.