Description
Climate change is perhaps the defining issue of our time, yet its extent and impacts are called into doubt as we struggle to understand and accept climate science and agree on how to reduce emissions in order to deal with this looming global environmental crisis. The causes, consequences and costs of responding to climate change are subject to heated political debate in Australia and worldwide, in spite of a growing number of expert reports warning against the irreversible and catastrophic effects of dangerous climate change. This book presents the latest findings and projections, and examines what Australia and the rest of the world is doing to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. How much of global warming and extreme weather is human-induced? As we continue to weigh up the costs of action in relation to the risks, is it time to ask: are we leaving it too late to effectively tackle climate change? Chapter 1: Causes and impacts of climate change Chapter 2: Responding to climate change Worksheets and activities; Fast facts; Glossary; Web links; Index