| Radiative Forcing of Climate Change: Expanding the Concept and Addressing Uncertainties Contributor(s): National Research Council (Author), Division on Earth and Life Studies (Author), Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climat (Author) |
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ISBN: 0309095069 ISBN-13: 9780309095068 Publisher: National Academies Press OUR PRICE: $47.50 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2005 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Science | Environmental Science (see Also Chemistry - Environmental) - Science | Global Warming & Climate Change - Science | Earth Sciences - Meteorology & Climatology |
| Dewey: 363.738 |
| LCCN: 2005921687 |
| Physical Information: 0.49" H x 6.12" W x 9.04" (0.96 lbs) 207 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Changes in climate are driven by natural and human-induced perturbations of the Earth's energy balance. These climate drivers or forcings include variations in greenhouse gases, aerosols, land use, and the amount of energy Earth receives from the Sun. Although climate throughout Earth's history has varied from snowball conditions with global ice cover to hothouse conditions when glaciers all but disappeared, the climate over the past 10,000 years has been remarkably stable and favorable to human civilization. Increasing evidence points to a large human impact on global climate over the past century. The report reviews current knowledge of climate forcings and recommends critical research needed to improve understanding. Whereas emphasis to date has been on how these climate forcings affect global mean temperature, the report finds that regional variation and climate impacts other than temperature deserve increased attention. |