Climate change has emerged as a threat to mankind. Its threatening consequences are increasing by the day in the form of climate extreme events, erratic rainfall, floods, droughts, cyclones, heat waves, etc. all having adverse effect on human life, natural systems of the earth, water resources, agriculture, biodiversity, rise in sea level, ocean acidification, etc. The book delves into the whole phenomenon of climate change, its causes, the range of challenges it presents, and the measures being taken worldwide to combat the threat and to create public awareness about it. As an important subject of study in school, college and university level, the subject also finds coverage in the examinations of the Civil Services, State Services, and others. This book provides comprehensive information for that purpose also through its 29 chapters.
Contents –
PART I: PHYSICAL SCIENCE BASIS
1. Our Earth
2. Atmosphere, Weather and Climate
3. Global Warming
4. Climate Change
5. Greenhouse Effect, El Nino and La Nina, Urban Island Heat Effect
6. Greenhouse Gases
7. History of Past Climate Changes
8. Climate Change Knowledge Timeline
9. The Story of Carbon
PART II: CONSEQUENCES AND IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
10. Consequences and Impacts of Climate Change
11. Highlights of the Previous IPCC Assessment Reports and IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C
12. IPCC Assessment Report 6 (2021) Report of Working Group I – The Physical Science Basis
13. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, 2022 – Contribution of Working Group II – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerabilities – Summary for Policymakers (SPM)
14. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (2022) – Working Group III – Mitigation of Climate Change and IPCC Synthesis Report 2023
15. Caution, Beware! Danger is Round the Corner
PART III: WORLD LEVEL INSTITUTIONS HANDLING CLIMATE CHANGE
16. World Meteorological Organisation
17. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
18. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and The Conference of Parties (COP)
19. Kyoto Protocol and (Its Successor) Paris Agreement
20. United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)
PART IV: MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION
21. Mitigation of Climate Change
22. Adaptation to Climate Change, Climate Resilient Development
23. Climate Change Funds for Adaptation and Mitigation
24. Climate Change and Forests
25. Climate Change and Health
26. Climate Change and Oceans
27. Climate Change and Gender Equality
28. What Can Individuals and Households Do to tackle Climate Change?
PART V: INDIA AND CLIMATE CHANGE
29. India and Climate Change