Global Climate Change: A Primer

by Orrin H. Pilkey, Keith C. Pilkey, Mary Edna Fraser (Illustrator)

An internationally recognized expert on the geology of barrier islands, Orrin H. Pilkey is one of the rare academics who engages in public advocacy about science-related issues. He has written dozens of books and articles explaining coastal processes to lay readers, and he is a frequent and outspoken interviewee in the mainstream media. Here, the colorful scientist takes on climate change deniers in an outstanding and much-needed primer on the science of global change and its effects. After explaining the greenhouse effect, Pilkey, writing with son Keith, turns to the damage it is sea level rise, ocean acidification, glacier and sea ice melting, changing habitats, desertification, and the threats to animals, humans, coral reefs, marshes, and mangroves. These explanations are accompanied by Mary Edna Fraser’s stunning batiks depicting the large-scale arenas in which climate change plays out. The Pilkeys directly confront and rebut arguments typically advanced by global change deniers. Particularly valuable are their discussions of “Climategate,” a manufactured scandal that undermined respect for the scientific community, and the denial campaigns by the fossil fuel industry, which they compare to the tactics used by the tobacco companies a generation ago to obfuscate findings on the harm caused by cigarettes.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Environment

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Orrin Hendren Pilkey Jr. was an American marine geologist who was Professor Emeritus of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, at Duke University, and founder and director emeritus of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines (PSDS) based at Western Carolina University.

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself, with almost no direct experience or useful knowledge on the topic, developing rather emotionally powerful opinions about climate change. This is not an altogether uncommon experience for anybody (read The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the Enemies of Science!). However, I thought I could maybe try to educate myself on, at least, the basics of the topic before I try to assert myself.

I gave this book four stars because it accomplished what I wanted: to provide some sort of vocabulary about the topic. Global Climate Change: A Primer provides a pretty approachable overview on some of the basic mechanisms behind climate change and it's adjacent topics (such as species extinction and ocean acidification). I'm still not sufficiently well versed or expert to tell you whether or not human-induced global climate change is real. But I enjoyed and appreciated the overview.

I especially appreciated Pilkey's attention to the limitations and difficulty of climate science. He takes time to point out what scientists have been able to measure and predict and what they cannot measure or predict. He lets you know where scientists do not agree, the holes in the theory, and who, in his estimation, has credible work that contradicts the general consensus (there are some!). I appreciate that kind of approach. However, the text is at it's weakest when the author attributes motivations to actions taken by opponents to the theory of human-caused climate change.

The artwork is absolutely beautiful. Also, take note: there are no human stories here. No feelings. No drama. The text is extremely informative. And also as bone dry as the American West is predicted to become.

[Eduardo Bracher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Global climate change: a primer

This is a good book on Climate Change. The authors write with a clear sense of the urgency regarding the subject. The basic Science explanations about global warming is explained, but not in great depth. The book dwells more on each of the significant impacts of climate change: warming, fires, desertification, future of ice on Earth, and especially a detailed account of the effects of rising of sealevel. A very interesting section of the book delas with the disinformation campaign organized to deny global warming. It reads like a fiction novel.This is a good book on Climate Change. The authors write with a clear sense of the urgency regarding the subject. The basic Science explanations about global warming is explained, but not in great depth. The book dwells more on each of the significant impacts of climate change: warming, fires, desertification, future of ice on Earth, and especially a detailed account of the effects of rising of sealevel. A very interesting section of the book delas with the disinformation campaign organized to deny global warming. It reads like a fiction novel.

[Sam Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent "Primer" it's stated purpose. What is exceptional is that at the end of each chapter they state climate change deniers positions and then an analysis. In some cases the deniers have used out and out lies and in others the arguments are more nuanced. The organizations such as Exxon-Mobil, Western Petroleum and Cato Institute are brought out as funding the deniers. There is an interesting concluding chapter on geoengeneering and in a way with the unrelenting changes that are happening industry and climate science may come together in this activity.

One example of an area of impact is the "third pole" the Himalayan Glacier (Tibetan plateau) that is the source of essentially all the major Asain rivers is melting and a huge area is in jepordy. The country of Bhutan takes global climate change seriously and is planning to move villages that are about to lose their water supply as a result of the loss of glacier mass.

This book seems very well balanced.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

In clear and concise fashion, shoots down many of the myths circulated by climate change skeptics and deniers. I narrated the audiobook.

[Travis Totz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scientific, research focused, well-informed read. Moving to the next climate change book on my list, but I would highly recommend this one (skeptic or not).