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Sunlight on Climate Change: A Heretic's Guide to Global Climate Hysteria
SUNLIGHT ON CLIMATE CHANGE explains in understandable terms the science of how both natural and human-caused global warming work. It describes how expensive and doubtful strategies, adopted by governments to comply with the goals of the Paris Agreement, have caused and will continue to cause increased human emissions of carbon dioxide, contribute to unhealthy air quality and significantly increase food costs for the very poor. It explores why declarations of a climate emergency are based on a political agenda, not scientific facts, and invites the reader to reconsider this belief system in the light of science.
Carbon dioxide has physical limitations as a greenhouse gas; global warming began a prolonged pause in 1998. Choosing classical science over politicized pseudo-science is not denial, it is heresy.
Carbon dioxide has physical limitations as a greenhouse gas; global warming began a prolonged pause in 1998. Choosing classical science over politicized pseudo-science is not denial, it is heresy.
- GenresScience
182 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2020
About the author
Ronald Paul Barmby
2 books10 followersRon Barmby is a Professional Engineer with a Master’s degree. His four-decade career in energy geoscience took him to over 40 countries on five continents, and included the key technical disciplines also used in climate science and net zero CO2 technology. His previous book, Sunlight on Climate Change: A Heretic’s Guide to Global Climate Hysteria resulted in advanced level scientific experts sharing their research, enabling Ron author Sunset on Net Zero: A Heretic’s Guide to the Futile CO2 Target. A twelfth-generation Canadian, Ron and his wife, Lysle, now divide their time between Celista, British Columbia and Calgary, Alberta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 11, 2020
A very intriguing viewpoint of the global warming debate that many people don't give a chance. The author breaks down complicated environment issues into easily understood concepts and proposes straight-forward solutions in a witty writing style. Worth the read!
August 12, 2020
I hope your jaw is in good shape as it's sure to drop repeatedly while reading this book. For as long as I can remember, I've read, heard, talked about (blindly and ill informed albeit) human involvement in climate change. When I finished reading Sunlight on Climate Change, I couldn't help feeling that I had been a part of a big con staged by politicians and the media alike. Thanks to Ron, I know now both groups chose to selectively disclose facts to form mine, and in large part, societies opinions on man made climate change.
This book is so important in my opinion to assist in changing the global warming/climate change narrative that has been driven politically through fear mongering. "Maybe ask them to stop scaring our children." I hope everyone reads it so we can change the political environment and prevent wasting hundreds of billions of dollars over the next generation or two fighting something that simply isn't necessary fighting.
Mr. Barmby really lets us in on the larger misinformation theme in society today. Misinformation seems to be everywhere in varying degrees. Ron did his part enlightening all of us that read his book and I will do mine by sharing his title with everyone I know.
This book is so important in my opinion to assist in changing the global warming/climate change narrative that has been driven politically through fear mongering. "Maybe ask them to stop scaring our children." I hope everyone reads it so we can change the political environment and prevent wasting hundreds of billions of dollars over the next generation or two fighting something that simply isn't necessary fighting.
Mr. Barmby really lets us in on the larger misinformation theme in society today. Misinformation seems to be everywhere in varying degrees. Ron did his part enlightening all of us that read his book and I will do mine by sharing his title with everyone I know.
August 17, 2020
Well written, straightforward book that presents facts and let’s you decide truth. A very welcome breath of fresh air in the climate change debate!
August 31, 2020
In "Sunlight on Climate Change: A Heretic's Guide to Global Climate Hysteria", Ron Barmby engages us in an easy-to-read, science-based exploration of a complex, emotive and highly politicized topic — climate change. An underlying theme of his message is the importance for all of us to become heretics — that is, to question the prevailing climate change doctrine by developing awareness of the evolving science on climate change and to thoughtfully formulate our own response. The aim of Ron’s book is to provide an overview of the current science in language that a non-scientist reader can readily comprehend and he achieves this remarkably well, making the book fun to read.
Ron addresses the current climate doctrine — that greenhouse gases, and human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) in particular, are a primary driver of climate change and present one of the world’s most pressing existential challenges. He acknowledges that climate change is real and notes that, among other factors:
(1) Solar system variations are highly consequential to
climate change and are not yet accounted for in
prevailing climate change models;
(2) CO2 emissions, both natural and human caused,
represent a very small component of greenhouse
gases — water vapour accounts for about 90%
of greenhouse gases;
(3) CO2 adds to the greenhouse gas effect up to a
point beyond which its influence rapidly diminishes;
and
(4) It is now acknowledged within the science community
and by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) that the rate of atmospheric warming has been
significantly lower since 1998 than the trend since 1951.
The book points out, with specific examples, how misinformation, often driven by political agendas, has proliferated to inform widely held misconceptions about climate change, resulting in a predisposition to blame climate change for a broad range of environmental problems. These misconceptions are creating panic and influencing climate policy initiatives, with negative consequences for both the environment that we are seeking to improve and for our economic well-being, especially in developing countries.
Based on his examination of the science, Ron shares several recommendations relating to our response to climate change. He invites his readers to pursue a similar process.
I heartily recommend this book — it is sure to contribute to your thinking and understanding about climate change.
Ron addresses the current climate doctrine — that greenhouse gases, and human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) in particular, are a primary driver of climate change and present one of the world’s most pressing existential challenges. He acknowledges that climate change is real and notes that, among other factors:
(1) Solar system variations are highly consequential to
climate change and are not yet accounted for in
prevailing climate change models;
(2) CO2 emissions, both natural and human caused,
represent a very small component of greenhouse
gases — water vapour accounts for about 90%
of greenhouse gases;
(3) CO2 adds to the greenhouse gas effect up to a
point beyond which its influence rapidly diminishes;
and
(4) It is now acknowledged within the science community
and by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) that the rate of atmospheric warming has been
significantly lower since 1998 than the trend since 1951.
The book points out, with specific examples, how misinformation, often driven by political agendas, has proliferated to inform widely held misconceptions about climate change, resulting in a predisposition to blame climate change for a broad range of environmental problems. These misconceptions are creating panic and influencing climate policy initiatives, with negative consequences for both the environment that we are seeking to improve and for our economic well-being, especially in developing countries.
Based on his examination of the science, Ron shares several recommendations relating to our response to climate change. He invites his readers to pursue a similar process.
I heartily recommend this book — it is sure to contribute to your thinking and understanding about climate change.
September 5, 2020
Sunlight on Climate Change is a relatively easy read that provides a contrary perspective on the issue of climate change. It challenges the generally accepted premise of climate change being caused by human activity and provides counter arguments to widely accepted initiatives to combat the effects of climate change.
Mr. Barmby has undertaken a prodigious amount of research to marshal his counter arguments to generally accepted perspectives on climate change which are the basis for the 2015 Paris Agreement and actions being taken by many countries to respond to climate change. It would be enlightening to have the author and a proponent of climate change being caused by human activity engage in a debate.
I do not accept that it is sufficient to say that we “will adapt” in order “...to protect the next generation from climate change “ as proposed by Mr. Barmby. However, his book provides ample information and facts to challenge widely accepted positions on climate change and how best to respond. He has made a valuable contribution to informed discussion and debate of this global issue.
Mr. Barmby has undertaken a prodigious amount of research to marshal his counter arguments to generally accepted perspectives on climate change which are the basis for the 2015 Paris Agreement and actions being taken by many countries to respond to climate change. It would be enlightening to have the author and a proponent of climate change being caused by human activity engage in a debate.
I do not accept that it is sufficient to say that we “will adapt” in order “...to protect the next generation from climate change “ as proposed by Mr. Barmby. However, his book provides ample information and facts to challenge widely accepted positions on climate change and how best to respond. He has made a valuable contribution to informed discussion and debate of this global issue.
August 28, 2020
Ron Barmby has written Sunlight on Climate Change: A Heretic’s Guide to Global Climate Hysteria. This book, in the context of a heretic versus a denier, presents compelling science based information with regards to climate, informing issues of C02 emissions, historical climate and temperature change while challenging the inconsistencies of technology and science to predict and gauge climate and temperature. He also attends to the vagaries of government transparency around climate knowledge and information. All of this has given me pause to look at climate change a little differently (yes I was a believer) and develop more of a critical eye around this complicated, multifaceted issue. I appreciate his passion and although I may not be completely changed, I am now more of a skeptic. I wholeheartedly agree that we need to consider other human impacts like deforestation and industrial pollutants and acknowledge that we are not being good stewards of our most precious resource – the earth, and all her beauty that we live in.
September 17, 2020
Once I started reading it, I just couldn’t put it down… : “Sunlight on Climate Change” If you’re gonna read only one book this year, then pick this one!
And I sure would love to see this book being part of a curriculum in schools. There are multiple lessons to be learned from it. From fact based sciences to political manipulations, and I promise you that no matter how sharp you are in any of those subjects, you will fully understand it.
Mr. Barmby way of writing includes a great sense of humour, he turns what seems to be a complicated math problem into a very comprehensible and factual discussion.
I’m very impressed by the huge amount of research and details he compiled to offer us the most easy read on this complicated subject.
I personally did not change my views on the subject as I was already a non-believer, but I sure learned a good amount of more details and now it all make even more sense.
(“Figure#11: If the Data don’t Fit, Hide it!”) … ain’t that the truth….
And I sure would love to see this book being part of a curriculum in schools. There are multiple lessons to be learned from it. From fact based sciences to political manipulations, and I promise you that no matter how sharp you are in any of those subjects, you will fully understand it.
Mr. Barmby way of writing includes a great sense of humour, he turns what seems to be a complicated math problem into a very comprehensible and factual discussion.
I’m very impressed by the huge amount of research and details he compiled to offer us the most easy read on this complicated subject.
I personally did not change my views on the subject as I was already a non-believer, but I sure learned a good amount of more details and now it all make even more sense.
(“Figure#11: If the Data don’t Fit, Hide it!”) … ain’t that the truth….
September 5, 2020
Great book.
I must confess, prior to reading this book, my perspective on climate change was one of confusion and being overwhelmed with conflicting information. Is climate change the end of the world or is it an over-hyped solvable problem? I needed some tools to help me differentiate between established science and bias political opinions.
This author does a great job of explaining the complex world of climate change without hype, hysteria, conspiracy theories, or name-calling. I found the book to be well researched, well organized and written in understandable layman's language. I enjoyed the humour, clever analogies (loved the courtroom trial), new perspectives, and practical solutions on how to proceed.
No matter what your current level of conviction or confusion, I highly recommend this book.
I must confess, prior to reading this book, my perspective on climate change was one of confusion and being overwhelmed with conflicting information. Is climate change the end of the world or is it an over-hyped solvable problem? I needed some tools to help me differentiate between established science and bias political opinions.
This author does a great job of explaining the complex world of climate change without hype, hysteria, conspiracy theories, or name-calling. I found the book to be well researched, well organized and written in understandable layman's language. I enjoyed the humour, clever analogies (loved the courtroom trial), new perspectives, and practical solutions on how to proceed.
No matter what your current level of conviction or confusion, I highly recommend this book.
September 25, 2020
After reading this book, it's eye-opening to me just how much I've deferred my understanding of climate change to the "authority". As someone who has a background in psychology and physical sciences, this should have been something I checked myself on from the start.
I was initially worried that I didn't understand enough about the science behind climate change to properly read this book. But Ron has done a fantastic job of keeping me as the reader engaged with the unique way he presents the information while making fact-based statements.
His use of a court room setting to make an argument and defend it was brilliant and certainly made the reading experience much more enjoyable that I expected!
Overall, it's a relatively quick and easy read. Perfect for those with 30 minutes to spare each day on their commute or at the end of a busy day.
I was initially worried that I didn't understand enough about the science behind climate change to properly read this book. But Ron has done a fantastic job of keeping me as the reader engaged with the unique way he presents the information while making fact-based statements.
His use of a court room setting to make an argument and defend it was brilliant and certainly made the reading experience much more enjoyable that I expected!
Overall, it's a relatively quick and easy read. Perfect for those with 30 minutes to spare each day on their commute or at the end of a busy day.
August 13, 2020
What a riveting book! I accidentally stumbled upon it just hours after it published and was intrigued. The author masterfully laid out in layman's terms the intricacies of global warming, and did it in a most entertaining way. I am not science or math oriented, but was easily able to understand the underlying science and theories behind the changing climate of earth. The importance of a book like this is far reaching. The facts and global politics that the author lays out are disturbing and make one question the motives of the players involved in the doomsday predictions of human caused global warming.
Thank you for breaking it all down and breathing some hope and common sense into the science behind global warming.
If you read only one book this year, this is the one to read.
Thank you for breaking it all down and breathing some hope and common sense into the science behind global warming.
If you read only one book this year, this is the one to read.
September 3, 2020
As an environmental scientist and a millennial, I found great value in reading this book and encourage others to broaden their perspective on climate change.
The author breaks down important complex topics in a way that is engaging, easy to grasp, and that doesn’t leave you with a headache afterwards.
This book highlights the importance of understanding how public policies are created and encourages you to question what the potential consequences of these policies are to current and future generations.
I strongly recommend reading this book to find out if your opinions and general understanding of climate change and greenhouse gases were created from misinformation driven by political agendas or classical science.
The author breaks down important complex topics in a way that is engaging, easy to grasp, and that doesn’t leave you with a headache afterwards.
This book highlights the importance of understanding how public policies are created and encourages you to question what the potential consequences of these policies are to current and future generations.
I strongly recommend reading this book to find out if your opinions and general understanding of climate change and greenhouse gases were created from misinformation driven by political agendas or classical science.
September 19, 2020
Wow! Informative, engaging and an easy read using compelling scientific facts mixed with a little bit of humor! Barmby sets out clearly and in layman's terms the counter arguments to the climate change "Truths" that we have been bombarded with through political agendas and various social media platforms.
He offers the reader, whether you are a heretic or a believer the information necessary to make your own informed decision.
My hope is that more people read this book so collectively we can stop using climate change as a political talking point and allow other negative human impacts on the planet to have a seat at the table.
A timely and important read or anyone who wants to engage in real debate and leave hysteria to the wayside.
He offers the reader, whether you are a heretic or a believer the information necessary to make your own informed decision.
My hope is that more people read this book so collectively we can stop using climate change as a political talking point and allow other negative human impacts on the planet to have a seat at the table.
A timely and important read or anyone who wants to engage in real debate and leave hysteria to the wayside.
August 14, 2020
Excellent book that clearly explains the science behind the Climate Change topic. The author provides a historical view of our climate and points out important data that has been dismissed by IPCC, because it couldn’t be modeled.
He also explains how data manipulation was used to promote a climate change emergency by organizations and our own politicians. The book is easy to read for such a technical subject so I thank the author for that. I had trouble putting the book down until I finished it!
The book should help you understand the background to the subject, its present controversies and encourages you to make your own judgement on it. It’s a great read!
He also explains how data manipulation was used to promote a climate change emergency by organizations and our own politicians. The book is easy to read for such a technical subject so I thank the author for that. I had trouble putting the book down until I finished it!
The book should help you understand the background to the subject, its present controversies and encourages you to make your own judgement on it. It’s a great read!
August 25, 2020
I was very surprised that someone could make climate change interesting and Ron Barmby's book engaged me to the end.
“Sunlight on Climate Change” was full of technical data in an easy-to-read format that brought it all home at the end of each chapter which highlighted misconceptions on issues that the non-scientific brain buys into.
Each chapter delves into a subject matter that is presented such in a way that we can open our minds to view each topic based on fact and make an informed decision for ourselves rather than relying on the popular view that the public perceives.
It leaves you with much to think about, a very good read.
Susan Tripp
“Sunlight on Climate Change” was full of technical data in an easy-to-read format that brought it all home at the end of each chapter which highlighted misconceptions on issues that the non-scientific brain buys into.
Each chapter delves into a subject matter that is presented such in a way that we can open our minds to view each topic based on fact and make an informed decision for ourselves rather than relying on the popular view that the public perceives.
It leaves you with much to think about, a very good read.
Susan Tripp
September 13, 2020
Highly Recommend! My mind is blown!! Ron Barmby nails it with science and facts and does so in a clever court case where we the Jury witness the hypocrisy of politicians, environmental lobbyists, and pseudo scientists that use disinformation to push a false agenda. Thank you Ron for enlightening the world to the real issues and science regarding climate change. Everyone should read this book to simply understand this complex topic. The more informed we are the better equipped we will be to deal with such socially charged topics that not only impact our economies and way of life, but our worldview and how to responsibly approach the stewardship of our amazing planet.
~ Drew McIntosh
~ Drew McIntosh
August 23, 2020
I have just finished Ron Barmby’s book “Sunlight on Climate Change” and found it to be a great read on a complicated subject. Ron has introduced a lot of humor and personal anecdotes into his explanations on the how’s and whys of our changing climate and the politics surrounding it.
The book is short, simple & engaging with quick summaries at the end of each chapter and even suggested solutions offered in the last chapter. Very educational!
I’ll be adding it to my Christmas shopping list and sending it out to my relatives, to both the heretics and the believers.
The book is short, simple & engaging with quick summaries at the end of each chapter and even suggested solutions offered in the last chapter. Very educational!
I’ll be adding it to my Christmas shopping list and sending it out to my relatives, to both the heretics and the believers.
August 31, 2020
Sunlight on Climate Change is an exposé that liberates an easy to comprehend message that should invoke discussions at all levels. In an era where factual clarity and truth can take some effort to uncover, Ron Barmby shines a brilliant light on the real relationship between CO2 and global warming. He masterfully dismantles elements of the published findings of the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and systematically delivers a shocking revelation. This book could easily be the genesis for policy adjustments aimed at the rational redistribution of capital.
um-not-these-authors
November 15, 2020Well. This author certainly sounds eminently qualified to write this book, and his 39 sock puppets – excuse me, I meant to say totally, completely unbiased reviewers – sure sound convincing!
August 6, 2020
In "Sunlight on Climate Change", Mr. Barmby has written an excellent book refuting a number of commonly accepted environmental 'Truths". He has done this by addressing a few of these individual misconceptions by researching and documenting the actual science.
He says that individuals must be their own judge and jury on these questions and they must not rely on politicians or the Environmental Industry and its dogma.
He says that individuals must be their own judge and jury on these questions and they must not rely on politicians or the Environmental Industry and its dogma.
August 28, 2020
Ron Barmby's challenge of the political engineered distortion of climate change accepted dogma, is to be commended. Focusing on facts rather than false rhetoric, Ron Barmby has been able to detail and I believe upend the global political agenda to blame carbon as the main driver of climate change. One needs to ask the question " who benefits from the carbon based climate change agenda" and you will find the hypocrisy of those that speak into the megaphone.
August 29, 2020
Finally, a book that brings scientific discussion on the limited capability of CO2 as a culprit in warming the earth. It also brings into focus the powerful effect of the sun on climate, that continues to be ignored in most media coverage today - and more importantly - by government policy makers. A must read for high school and university students still trying to wade through the volumes of propaganda on climate change still circulating out there.
September 5, 2020
For readers like myself who may be intimidated or uninterested in scientific jargon, I urge you to read this book to actually get an understanding on the causes of climate change. I am not “science minded” and prior to this read I will admit I had little understanding of any of the popular climate change rhetoric thrown out by our politicians and media. This book is thoughtfully laid out, and reads with personality and charm that is both engaging and informative.
September 7, 2020
This book is a must read for anyone interested in honest and factual information on climate change. It reveals shortcomings and deceit used by the green movement to inaccurately demonstrate the cause of global climate change and more importantly puts the leading causes for climate change on the table. Ron provides frank discussion on several initiatives intended to combat climate change that are costly, filled with negative unintended outcomes and most importantly useless.
September 14, 2020
Excellent explanation of the science behind climate change. A well written easy read with easily understood supporting data. A must read for high school and university students. I'm purchasing copies to distribute to my family and friends as the basis for our ongoing discussions on climate change.
September 16, 2020
Not unlike other reviewers I struggled to put this book down as it began to increasingly resonate. Thank you Ron, I consider myself a reasonable layperson who is better enabled to think reasonably about climate change. Plus I always like a good Margaret Thatcher story!
September 4, 2020
Well written book that really makes a good case questioning if carbon pollution is a real problem
November 15, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A look at the issue of climate change from a different perspective than the usual fear mongering.
A look at the issue of climate change from a different perspective than the usual fear mongering.
August 2, 2022
This book should be required reading for any student taking any kind of Earth science type class and any instructor teaching those classes. Using easily understood reasoning and facts, Mr. Barmby establishes, with cited source material, and presents in one place facts that I have discovered over the past several years. Namely, I had discovered that the Earth has been warmer over the past thousand years than it is today and that there is NOT consensus among scientists that there is anthropogenic climate change. He presents additional important information regarding the IPCC. There are at least two quotes from the book that I will attempt to remember. The first is on page one and establishes what a climate change heretic (rather than a climate change denier) is: "A heretic does not accept an idea when proof of it does not exist; a denier does not accept an idea even when proof of it does exist." The second occurs on page 73: "People who say the science is settled do so because they want to end debate. That's not how science works." After laying out the science, rating some of the recent ideas to reduce carbon dioxide, and debunking the top 10 climate change headlines, Mr. Barmby does make some suggestions for how to move forward to reduce global environmental pollution and degradation. All are worthy of working toward. Read this book for yourself; it will open your eyes.
December 6, 2021
Whether you're new to climate science or consider yourself an expert, Sunshine is the disinfectant you need to clean up one of the most politicized subjects in modern times. It explains in easy-to-understand chapters everything you ever wanted to know about climate change but were afraid to ask. I considered myself a bit of an armchair expert on climate change so this was the perfect refresher course. I also learned quite a few new things. For newbies, this is a must. It's also not political, but scientific.
He explains CO2's minute role in the carbon cycle and how exactly it interacts with photons, the outsized role of the IPCC, and the absurdity of the phrases "settled science" and "consensus science." Both are anathema to science, as most of you were taught in HS and/or college. But unlike a textbook, Sunshine is an enjoyable read. It's informative without being hectoring. It's science-based without being geeky.
Barmby also dissects the so-called climate crisis (there isn't one, not by a long shot), and shoots so many holes into the theory of global warming it looks like a global pincushion.
He also shows how activist scientists are intentionally misleading people and rewriting climate history on Earth. Anyone can do it: simply change the dates that history officially began and you can create any chart you want. Does anyone think the Earth only started producing weather in 1979? How does NASA/NOAA get away with rewriting temperature data, which are then adopted by the official meteorology organizations around the world?
But honest scientists who aren’t reliant on grants and funds and awards are still plugging along and producing non-alarmist studies that never make the news (they don’t report the planes that land safely, remember?).
If you get your news from the big 3 networks or the sundry cable news outlets (aside from a few lesser-alarmist outlets), then you probably think the End Times is around the corner. That's because before the climate change fever took hold, we used to call weather events the "weather."
We've all seen it: in the summer when a hurricane strikes, it's called climate change. In the winter when a blizzard strikes, it's called weather. Sunshine clears all this up and more and reassures the reader that the apocalypse isn't around the corner or even the end of the century. If you know or have a child that is terrified or anxious about climate change, have them read this book. I'd say someone 13 years or older could easily grasp much of the content. Or give this as a gift to yourself for your sanity and erudition. You won't be disappointed!
PS: I got this as a gift and it's now one of my go-to books on climate change (aka global warming).
He explains CO2's minute role in the carbon cycle and how exactly it interacts with photons, the outsized role of the IPCC, and the absurdity of the phrases "settled science" and "consensus science." Both are anathema to science, as most of you were taught in HS and/or college. But unlike a textbook, Sunshine is an enjoyable read. It's informative without being hectoring. It's science-based without being geeky.
Barmby also dissects the so-called climate crisis (there isn't one, not by a long shot), and shoots so many holes into the theory of global warming it looks like a global pincushion.
He also shows how activist scientists are intentionally misleading people and rewriting climate history on Earth. Anyone can do it: simply change the dates that history officially began and you can create any chart you want. Does anyone think the Earth only started producing weather in 1979? How does NASA/NOAA get away with rewriting temperature data, which are then adopted by the official meteorology organizations around the world?
But honest scientists who aren’t reliant on grants and funds and awards are still plugging along and producing non-alarmist studies that never make the news (they don’t report the planes that land safely, remember?).
If you get your news from the big 3 networks or the sundry cable news outlets (aside from a few lesser-alarmist outlets), then you probably think the End Times is around the corner. That's because before the climate change fever took hold, we used to call weather events the "weather."
We've all seen it: in the summer when a hurricane strikes, it's called climate change. In the winter when a blizzard strikes, it's called weather. Sunshine clears all this up and more and reassures the reader that the apocalypse isn't around the corner or even the end of the century. If you know or have a child that is terrified or anxious about climate change, have them read this book. I'd say someone 13 years or older could easily grasp much of the content. Or give this as a gift to yourself for your sanity and erudition. You won't be disappointed!
PS: I got this as a gift and it's now one of my go-to books on climate change (aka global warming).
October 5, 2020
Ron Barmby took this reader on a journey which challenged all of my firmly held, but I must admit, unexamined, beliefs about climate change and global warming.
I found myself constantly googling the facts he presented and being shocked at their truth. As I consider myself a fairly well-informed person, my shock was not only at how ill-informed I was, but how easily I had accepted the status quo.
As he took me through, piece by piece, and destroyed ideas I had accepted as sacrosanct I realized how seldom I, and I am sure many of us, have taken a serious look at arguments that disagree with our point of view.
But, while much of Barmby’s opinion about climate change is readily apparent, he is not a preacher. Barmby uses science and historical data to take a thorough look at climate change, its causes and impacts. I sometimes got lost in the numbers, but he does his best to avoid this and makes good use of lay language, along with gentle building blocks to explain the science, from interplanetary to molecular. In addition, he guides us through the cooling and warming trends that our planet has experienced throughout its long history. With this information in hand he then asks the two questions central to his book.
Is climate change caused by humans, or not?
And secondly, is climate change catastrophic, or not?
In order to answer these questions, he takes us on a deep dive (but shallow enough that this arts major could understand!) into the evidence behind the commonly held belief that climate change is human caused, and also into the politics behind the propagation of this evidence.
In my lifetime, (I am in my 60s) I have seen the weather change in a way that would suggest that the planet is indeed warming, or at least in my corner of it. I have seen a baseball diamond in Nicaragua covered in water, the lamppost behind second base out in the ocean and I have watched familiar glaciers recede. So, I have taken for granted that climate change is here and if 97% of scientists agree that CO2 is causing it, who am I to argue? Let’s get rid of the CO2.
But, as Barmby argues, when do 97% of scientists agree on anything? Be critical he asks, think for yourself, ask questions and think some more.
Barmby’s book has certainly got me thinking, and if Sunlight on Climate Change does nothing more than make the reader think critically, he has accomplished a great deal.
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