The Weather Makers, by Tim Flannery, provides a comprehensive and easy-to-understand look at the science behind global warming and climate change, and shows how everyday actions can have a large impact on our planet's future.
The book starts with a dramatic introduction, discussing how mankind has been able to bring climate change upon itself, and the profoundly negative impacts it will have on future generations if we do nothing to stop it. Flannery dives right into the science behind global warming and climate change, discussing how our burning of fossil fuels has increased the amount of greenhouse gases that are causing global temperatures to rise. He talks about the effects of ocean and land surface temperatures, and how they create climate patterns such as El Nino and La Nina, which can have a substantial global impact.
Throughout the book, Flannery also examines the effects of global warming and climate change on strategies such as agriculture, forestry and conservation, and how human actions have caused destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity. He dives into the developments of renewable energy, discussing their potential to reduce pollution and provide clean energy. He also dissects the main drivers of global warming and explores the political, economic and ethical implications of the current state of the environment.
At the end, he brings attention to the fact that human activities allowing global warming to continue unchecked will lead to strong global conflicts in the future if drastic action is not taken soon. He calls for a concerted and international effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and argues that such an undertaking is the only thing that will ensure the safe future of our planet and the generations to come.
Flannery provides an insightful overview of the science and politics behind global warming and climate change in an engaging and accessible way. Those unfamiliar with the science and unaware of the need for action should be sure to read this book. Through his arguments, testimonies, and studies, Flannery leaves no doubt that global warming and climate change are real and that their effects will be catastrophic if nothing is done about them. He provides a clear and powerful call to action –!that global citizens everywhere should demand that their elected officials to do something about it. The Weather Makers is a must read for anyone concerned about the global environment.
