Introduction to Modern Climate Change

The third edition of this introductory textbook for both science students and non-science majors has been brought completely up-to-date. It reflects recent scientific progress in the field, as well as advances in the political arena around climate change. As in previous editions, it is tightly focussed on anthropogenic climate change. The first part of the book concentrates on the science of modern climate change, including evidence that the Earth is warming and a basic description of climate physics. Concepts such as radiative forcing, climate feedbacks, and the carbon cycle are discussed and explained using basic physics and algebra. The second half of the book goes beyond the science to address the economics and policy options to address climate change. The book's goal is for a student to leave the class ready to engage in the public policy debate on the climate crisis.

Table of Contents:
Contents; Preface; 1. An introduction to the climate problem; 2. Is the climate changing?; 3. Radiation and energy balance; 4. A simple climate model; 5. The carbon cycle; 6. Forcing, feedbacks, and climate sensitivity; 7. Why is the climate changing?; 8. Predictions of future climate change; 9. Impacts of climate change; 10. Exponential growth; 11. Fundamentals of climate change policy; 12. Mitigation policies; 13. A brief history of climate science and politics; 14. Putting it together: A long-term policy to address climate change; Index.

About the Author :
Andrew E. Dessler is a climate scientist and professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University. He researches atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and climate change policy. He is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The first edition of this book won the Louis J. Battan Author's Award from the American Meteorological Society. He has authored two books on climate change: this one, and The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate (with Edward Parson; third edition published in 2019; Cambridge).

Review :
'Andrew Dessler is that rare breed of scientist who can contribute at the leading edge of scientific discovery while adeptly explaining the science and its implications to lay audiences. With his newly revised edition of Introduction to Climate Change, Dessler provides a comprehensive, up-to-date and engaging account of the science, the impacts, and the policy dimensions of the climate crisis. Climate change is the defining challenge of our time and this textbook is the ideal choice to ensure students are informed about it.' Michael Mann, Penn State University, author of The New Climate War and Dire Predictions 'In a world dominated by headlines, Dr. Andrew Dessler's Introduction to Modern Climate Change delivers a fresh take on something we're all craving: fundamentals. The book begins with the physical science basis for climate change, from blackbody radiation to the fluxes and reservoirs of the carbon cycle, before delving into hot topics, from feedbacks to exponential growth. Dessler delivers a robust and much-needed framework for addressing modern global environmental change.' Hari Mix, Santa Clara University 'Introduction to Modern Climate Change has been my text of choice for a general education class on the topic. It provides students with the foundations of climate physics, places modern variations in the context of the geologic record, establishes the man-made nature of current trends and (uniquely for textbooks on this matter) discusses the economic and political dimensions of the problem, and how best to respond to it. This new edition brings a significant upgrade by adding the most up-to-date numbers from the IPCC and the Paris Agreements, as well as a greatly expanded set of engaging graphics, conveying the information most pertinent to this existential crisis. I heartily recommend this approachable textbook to any student or scholar.' Julien Emile-Geay, University of Southern California 'Introduction to Modern Climate Change is essential reading for anyone interested in anthropogenic global warming. Andrew Dessler's textbook is easily accessible for students from a range of backgrounds, as no prior knowledge of Earth Science is needed. It is the first resource I add to my reading lists, and the new color figures enhance it further. There are also important updates concerning the policies of climate change, such as the impact of the Trump Administration and the Paris Agreement.' Matt Smith, University of Worcester '… an excellent textbook for the general audience of undergraduates … In the third edition there are more exercises than in earlier editions, allowing the instructor to emphasize those exercises depending on the particular department providing the course … An important update is the transition to colored graphics throughout the book, which bring to life the arguments in the text … Dessler is a very gifted writer for the general reader … In this book he engages the reader with relevant analogies from everyday life … Most importantly his presentation is clear. His arguments are strong and presented passionately … I grade the third edition as excellent.' Gerald R. North, Texas A&M University Praise for the third edition: '… a textbook about the scientific basis for global climate change that's well balanced, well written, highly illuminating, and accessible to non-science majors.' John M. Wallace, University of Washington 'I was so impressed with its simple and compelling coverage of the science of climate change, and, just as importantly, its social and political context. The students loved the book - some even commented that it was the first time they had actually understood and enjoyed reading a science book.' Steve Easterbrook, University of Toronto 'Dessler's book is written so clearly that anyone can read it and understand the major issues in climate change. It hits just the right balance between rigor and comfort, making the whole topic more appealing and accessible to students.' Deborah Lawrence, University of Virginia 'The text provides a readable, concise summary of the science of climate change, but it is the nonscientific aspects of the book that set it apart … a well-crafted textbook. The writing is very accessible without being too simplistic. The combination of a broad overview of the science and policy of climate change is both novel and appropriate for … an introductory-level survey course on climate change. Reading the book was a learning experience for me, and I would happily recommend this book to anyone seeking an introduction to climate change.' Guillaume Mauger, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 'The book reads extremely well: it uses stories, analogues, and examples to draw the reader into the story of the science of our changing planet. Despite the complexity of the actual science, Dessler presents the material in a clear manner and does it without drawing on mathematics any more difficult than simple algebra … I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about climate change and the challenges it presents to humanity.' Donald J. Wuebbles, Physics Today 'Dessler has done an excellent job of clearly describing the different issues of climate change in a way that will be accessible to both science and non-science majors. I can see this book becoming the standard textbook for the growing number of introductory courses that discuss both the science and policy of climate change.' Darryn Waugh, Johns Hopkins University 'Dessler does an excellent job of simply explaining the science … should be on the reading list of anyone with an interest in climate science, if for no other reason that it introduces a complex subject in such a coherent and comprehensible fashion.' John Brittan, The Leading Edge 'All in all, I expect that this third edition of Introduction to modern Climate Change will continue to be a popular choice in climate science education. It is written for use in undergraduate modules and courses, and it does an excellent job of explaining the fundamentals of climate science and combining these with an insightful treatise of the impacts on society, economy and politics.' John F. Hiemstra, The Holocene 'This is a fantastic book. I think my students will really like it, especially at the price.' Anna Crowell, University of North Dakota