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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 10, NUMBER 5, MAY 1997

BOOKS AND PROCEEDINGS...
GENERAL INTEREST, POLICY & ECONOMICS

Item #d97may71

Argument in the Greenhouse: The International Economics of Controlling Global Warming, N. Maybe, S. Hall et al., 464 pp., Apr. 1997, $74.95 hbk./$24.95 pbk. (Routledge).

Incorporates key political and legal considerations into real-world applied economic analysis, including costs, timing and degree of stabilization, tax reform, and international agreements. Covers the developing and developed world, identifying important, new policies to foster effective agreements.

Item #d97may72

The Heat Is On: The High Stakes Battle over Earth's Threatened Climate, R. Gelbspan, May 1997, $23 (Addison-Wesley).

Expands on a theme from the author's 1995 article in Harpers magazine. (See Global Climate Change Digest, PERIODICALS/OF GENERAL INTEREST, Feb. 1996.) A handful of scientist-skeptics-most with ties to the coal or oil industries-have convinced the public there is far more doubt about the theory of global warming than really exists. The campaign is orchestrated by a group of utilities and coal companies that want to target older, less-educated men, and young, low-income women. The book is discussed in a Boston Globe article (p. C1, Apr. 28, 1997), which includes responses from the skeptics mentioned, and comments on their influence by other academics and researchers.

Item #d97may73

Environmental Policy Between Regulation and Market, C. Jeanrenaud, ca. 350 pp., 1997, $48 (Springer).

Traditional environmental policies that have relied on direct controls and government investments have significant drawbacks. This book analyzes new instruments (green taxes, tradeable permits, covenants, joint implementation, tradeable quotas) for their cost effectiveness, their ability to achieve environmental goals, and their public and corporate acceptability.

Item #d97may74

Masters of Illusion, C. Caufield, £20 (Macmillan).

Reviewed by D. Pearce ("Bankrolling the World," New Scientist, p. 46, Mar. 29, 1997), who states that this book repeats much past criticism of the World Bank's lending policies, but does not hint at solutions, possibly because of the author's limited understanding of the basics of economic development. Pearce presents a brief three-point analysis of principles of economic development.

Item #d97may75

State of the World 1997, L.R. Brown, C. Flavin et al., 229 pp., Jan. 1997, $13.95/Can.$17.99 (Norton, for Worldwatch Inst.). (See Global Climate Change Digest, REPORTS/GENERAL INTEREST, Jan. 1997.)

Item #d97may76

Scientific Uncertainty and Environmental Problem Solving, J. Lemons, Ed., 433 pp., 1996, £59.5 (Blackwell Science).

Reviewed by T. O'Riordan ("Play-Safe Politics," Nature, pp. 499-500, Feb. 6, 1997). He calls it an excellent book that, through a coherent set of essays, addresses the question: how far can science truly help society when evidence is genuinely ambiguous, traditional disciplinary models are unsatisfactory, and policy-makers want justification for expensive courses of action that may disturb accepted social practices? The opening essay, by a philosopher of science, characterizes four types of scientific uncertainty, and argues that complex environmental issues may require that decisions be weighted more towards ethics or presumed social consensus than is justified by data. Other chapters address such topics as biodiversity, water resources, impact assessment, risk management, law, and policy.

Item #d97may77

International Environmental Policy: From the 20th Century to the 21st Century, Third Ed., L.K. Caldwell, with P.S. Welland, 504 pp., Nov. 1996, $59.95 hbk./$22.95 pbk. (Duke Univ.). Expands and updates this comprehensive survey of the global international movement for environmental protection. Serving as a history, the book examines both governmental and nongovernmental international environmental agreements and institutional arrangements, along with the impact of science, technology, trade and communication. Identifies events and politics that have affected this movement over the last 20 years and that will continue to affect it into the next century.

Item #d97may78

Environmental Policy in an International Context. Vol. 3. Prospects for Environmental Change, A. Blowers, P. Glasbergen, 256 pp., 1996, $40 (Wiley).

Looks at contemporary environmental issues from scientific, sociological, political, legal, and economic perspectives. Covers such topics as sovereign states and international regimes, nongovernmental organizations, business and environmental policies, the European Union, North-South cooperation, implementing environmental policies, and shaping the future of environment and society.

Item #d97may79

Earthly Goods: Environmental Change and Social Justice, F.O. Hampson, J. Reppy, Eds., 272 pp., 1996, $39.95 hbk./$16.95 pbk. (Cornell Univ.).

(See PROF. PUBS./GENERAL INTEREST & POLICY, Global Climate Change Digest, Apr. 1997.)

Item #d97may80

Global Environmental Change-An Atmospheric Perspective, J. Horel, J. Geisler, 192 pp., Dec. 1996, $28.95 (Wiley).

This textbook focuses on how the atmosphere works as a global entity to maintain a given global climate or an adequate ozone shield. Also includes a guide to the Internet to help readers stay up to date in this field.

Item #d97may81

Ultraviolet Reflections: Life Under a Thinning Ozone Layer, A. Nilsson, 200 pp., 1996, $40/£17.99 (Wiley).

Presents the state of knowledge about the effects of increases in UV radiation on living organisms. Also looks at international policies aimed at reducing ozone depletion, and implications for agriculture, ecosystems, and the global population. A brief review in New Scientist (Mar. 1, 1997) calls it "thoughtful, honest science writing."

Item #d97may82

Climate Change and Human Society, I.D. Whyte, 217 pp., 1996, $58 hbk./$40 pbk. (Wiley).

An introduction to climate change and its impacts emphasizing how our understanding of this topic has developed in recent years. Discusses present and future policy measures.

Item #d97may83

Climate Change: Developing Southern Hemisphere Perspectives, T.W. Giambelluca, A. Henderson-Sellers, Eds., 475 pp., 1996, $115/£65 (Wiley).

Aimed at readers from a variety of disciplines, this book tackles the issues of the rights and aspirations of the developing world, the need to balance ecology and economics, and the potential impact of policy on climate change. Integrates climate modeling, ecological and human dimensions of climate change, and policy implications.

Reviews of Previous Entries

General, Policy & Economics

Item #d97may84

The Global Warming Debate: The Report of the European Science and Environment Forum, 1996, $30/£17 (ESEF).

Reviewed by R.A. Vaughan (Intl. J. Clim., p. 455, Mar. 1997). The articles in this book attempt to analyse the evidence and conclusions that have been used to influence political decisions. The reviewer notes that the tenor is emotive and stresses one side of the argument, but so has the establishment lobby. Offers the views of some of the scientists who claim to have so far been excluded from the IPCC because they question its findings. The reviewer encourages people to read the book, even though they may not agree with its conclusions, because no one should be afraid of healthy debate in science.

Item #d97may85

Betrayal of Science and Reason: How Anti-Environmental Rhetoric Threatens Our Future, P. Ehrlich, A. Ehrlich, 335 pp., 1996 (Island Press).

Reviewed by M. Lewis (Issues in Sci. & Technol., pp. 82-84, Winter 1996-97), who calls this the most important rejoinder to date to the "brownlash" or contrarian view of anti-environmental writing. Also reviewed by N. Myers (BioScience, pp. 182-183, Mar. 1997), who notes that the book is comprehensive in its treatment of anti-environmental assertions, such as "global warming is a fairy tale," and "ozone layer depletion not even a mini-deal," by people such as Stephen Budiansky, Julian Simon, Rush Limbaugh, Dixy Lee Ray and Gregg Easterbrook. Also reviewed by D. Orr (Climatic Change, Apr. 1997), who calls the book a thorough and compelling refutation of the scientific errors and misinformation dispersed by the contrarians.

Item #d97may86

How Many People Can the Earth Support?, J.E. Cohen, 532 pp., 1995, $30/£22.5 (Norton).

Reviewed by K.R. Smith (Bioscience, pp. 59-60, Jan. 1997), who concludes that although the book is worth reading, it is frustrating because the author does not answer the title question. Much excellent research and work went into this book that was still unfinished when it was published.