I got this as a first reads. I found it very interesting. Although I already knew a decent amount about climate change before reading the book, I also learnt a lot of new information as well. The explanations of the science behind climate change were particularly good. The sceptic boxes were also interesting, and useful as well. I found the imagining of a zero carbon world, and the way it was described in one chapter, a little idealistic and unrealistic but other than that the book touched on some interesting ideas. ( )

This is an excellent introductory text on climate change. Danny Chivers has a clear and readable style; I was able to read the whole thing, including the dry numbers sections, and stay interested in the facts. Text-boxes and bullet-points through out help break up the text and Chivers has a good sense of humour that keeps things from getting too depressing. The situation outlined here is depressing, but by the end I was feeling hopeful that there was something I could do about it.

The book is divided in three parts: the science, the solutions and the way forward. Part A, the science, is only a quarter of the book. Danny Chivers doesn't really waste time-getting bogged down in the details. He gives a broad over-view of the general consensus in the scientific community. I get the feeling that Chivers, as a professional climate change researcher, is impatient with justifying and explaining facts which are accepted reality by scientists, although challenged elsewhere. If you're looking for a detailed explanation of the science behind climate change, this probably isn't the book. Instead, after outlining the problem, the book is mostly occupied with what we can do about it.

Part B, the solutions, explains who and where the worst polluters are and what they need to do. It's pretty dismissive of the more optimistic options. The possibility of nuclear power saving the day got very short shrift, which I found a little disappointing. I've read elsewhere that the new nuclear power technologies are promising and I would've appreciated a deeper explanation of why they're not going to cut it. But this is a short book, so there wasn't really space for that. The solution is really uncompromising: massive reduction of CO2 output before it's too late. And it'll be too late very soon.

Part C, is a catalogue of the ways in which western governments and corporations have created the mess, sustained it, promoted it and lied and obfuscated about cleaning it up. Frankly, as a citizen of a western democracy, it's an embarrassing read. Our governments and businesses must radically change their laws and practises if runaway global warming is to be prevented. We cannot make this change by remembering to turn off the lights and using eco-friendly soap. The most useful thing western citizens can do is to get involved politically and force our governments to act in our best interests (and it really is in our interests for the climate not to get as bad as it could).

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A readable introduction to climate change that didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know--I cannot help but wonder if the only people to ever pick up this book are those who are already persuaded that something needs to be done about it. ( )