Heatwaves: Causes, Consequences and Responses(6 Biometeorology)

Distinctively, this book brings together an end-to-end understanding of heatwaves, that is, a consideration of their causes, consequences for human and natural systems and societal responses to them in the form of adaptation and mitigation actions. It advocates for recognizing "the heatwave imperative" and emphasizes that “heatwaves matter”.  Together, the individual chapters make the point that “knowing heatwaves” from a holistic interdisciplinary perspective will assist with efforts towards heatwave risk reduction and building resilience to what is probably the most pervasive of a range of climate hazards.    The book will be of interest to upper level undergraduate and taught postgraduate students and researchers in geography, climatology, environmental, atmospheric and population health sciences as well as climate and health researchers, urban planners, policy makers and the informed public with an interest in climate and society issues.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Heatwaves as Weather and Climate Phenomenon.- Chapter 1. Heatwaves.- Chapter 2. Defining Heatwaves.- Chapter 3. Heatwaves as Extreme Events.- Chapter 4. The Physical Nature of Heat and its Measurement.- Part II. Physical Causes of Heatwaves.- Chapter 5. Modes of Climate Variability.- Chapter 6. Synoptic Scales Atmospheric Processes and Heatwaves.- Chapter 7. Surface Atmosphere Interactions and Heatwaves.- Chapter 8. The Urban Surface and Heatwaves.- Part III. Heatwave Consequences.- Chapter 9. Conceptualising and Assessing Heatwave Impacts.- Chapter 10. Exposure and Vulnerability as Modifiers of Heatwave Impacts.- Chapter 11. Observed Impacts of Heatwaves.- Part IV. Heatwave Responses.- Chapter 12. Heatwave Responses: Adaptation.- Chapter 13. Heatwave Responses: Early Warning Systems.- Chapter 14. Heatwave Responses: Mitigation.- Chapter 15. Synthesis and Directions for Future Enquiry.

About the Author :
Glenn McGregor graduated with a BSc and MSc (1st Class) in Geography from the University of Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) in the mid to late 1970s. Following the completion of an MSc at Auckland, he was awarded a NZ University Grants Committee PhD scholarship which he took up at the Department of Geography, University of Canterbury in Christchurch (South Island of NZ) and carried out research on snow avalanches.  Following completion of the PhD, Professor McGregor won a Japanese Government Monbusho Scholarship for 2 years of postdoctoral research at the Institute of Low Temperature Science, University of Hokkaido, Sapporo, Japan where he followed up on snow avalanche related research.  At the end of the postdoc, he returned to NZ to work in the environmental consultancy industry for 12 months and then took up his first academic post at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1987.  Here, he worked until 1990 before leaving for Hong Kong to work in the Department of Geography at Hong Baptist College (now Hong Kong Baptist University).  Following three years in Hong Kong, Professor McGregor moved to the University of Birmingham, UK where he worked for 13 years in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences moving from Lecturer at the time of his appointment to Reader just before his departure to take up a Chair in Physical Geography at King’s College London (KCL) in 2005. In 2008, Professor McGregor left KCL and returned to his Alma Mata, University of Auckland, to take up the position of Director of the School of Environment (2008–2013) and Professor of Climatology and Associate Dean International in the Faculty of Science (2013–2014). In March 2014, Professor McGregor joined Durham University where he holds the title of Professor of Climatology and Principal of Ustinov College.