Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Working Group II contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC

The Climate Change 2007 volumes of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provide the most comprehensive and balanced assessment of climate change available. This IPCC Working Group II volume provides a completely up-to-date scientific assessment of the impacts of climate change, the vulnerability of natural and human environments, and the potential for response through adaptation. Written by the world's leading experts, the IPCC volumes will again prove to be invaluable for researchers, students, and policymakers, and will form the standard reference works for policy decisions for government and industry worldwide.

Table of Contents:
Foreword; Preface; Introduction; Summary for policymakers; Technical summary; 1. Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems; 2. New assessment methodologies and the characterisation of future conditions; 3. Fresh water resources and their management; 4. Ecosystems, their properties, goods and services; 5. Food, fibre and forest products; 6. Coastal systems and low-lying areas; 7. Industry, settlement and society; 8. Human health; 9. Africa; 10. Asia; 11. Australia and New Zealand; 12. Europe; 13. Latin America; 14. North America; 15. Polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic); 16. Small islands; 17. Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity; 18. Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation; 19. Assessing key vulnerabilities and the risk from climate change; 20. Perspectives on climate change and sustainability - 811 Cross-chapter case studies; Appendix I. Glossary; Appendix II. Contributors to the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report; Appendix III. Reviewers of the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report; Appendix IV. Acronyms and abbreviations; Appendix V. Index and database of regional content; Index; CD-ROM.

Review :
'This volume makes another significant step forward in the understanding of the likely impacts of climate change on a global scale.' International Journal of Climatology 'The detail is truly amazing ... invaluable works of reference ... no reference or science library should be without a set [of the IPCC volumes] ... unreservedly recommended to all readers.' Journal of Meteorology 'The subject is explored in great depth and should prove valuable to policy makers, researchers, analysts, and students.' American Meteorological Society 'This well-edited set of three volumes will surely be the standard reference for nearly all arguments related with global warming and climate change in the next years. It should not be missing in the libraries of atmospheric and climate research institutes and those administrative and political institutions which have to deal with global change and sustainable development.' Meteorologische Zeitschrift 'The IPCC has conducted what is arguably the largest, most comprehensive and transparent study ever undertaken by mankind ... The result is a work of substance and authority, which only the foolish would deride.' Wind Engineering '... the weight of evidence presented, the authority that IPCC commands and the breadth of view can hardly fail to impress and earn respect. Each of the volumes is essentially a remarkable work of reference, containing a plethora of information and copious bibliographies. There can be few natural scientists who will not want to have at least one of these volumes to hand on their bookshelves, at least until further research renders the details outdated by the time of the next survey.' The Holocene