Review: With the wealth of material on climate change one might be forgiven for wondering what else can be written about the topic. Obviously there can be the regular updates to try and contain such a massive field but even there, it's often a question of re-orienting older research. However, with some lateral thinking there's still a market for a text which takes a different slant. The one presented here accepts much of the research material but goes instead after the stuff of headlines. It comes down to a topic often asked but rarely answered in such detail: what do we actually know about climate change and its effects?

The focus of the book is to try to show the reader where the climate debate is agreed upon, where there are differences and where the science/politics interface meets and how each is affected. We start with an overview of climate change. It's acknowledged as a new type of problem (i.e. truly global). Alongside this there's an equally brief overview of the politics of the situation. Chapter two looks at the type of statements scientists use - positive and normative - shows the difference between them and how politics and policy making uses/abuses the two. It's an overview of how science works in general terms. Chapter three examines the basis for climate change, the evidence we've gathered and the sources we've used (along with their strengths and weaknesses). The aim is to show just what has been agreed upon and where the problems are. Chapter four looks at the other side of the debate - the potential impacts and what we can/should do about it. It highlights the notion that policy-making differs from science (which is where most of the friction occurs!). It also looks at trends in pollution and how this might affect any climate change. From this a range of policy choices are outlined and their efficacy discussed. The final chapter tells where we are in the debate and how we might proceed. There's also a section where the author puts forward his own opinion on how we tackle this issue.

This is an excellent way into the subject for the beginner. There's some very sound science, most of which is agreed upon and a good understanding of how policy making works, or doesn't. The two ideas are brought together along with a discussion as to how we might proceed. One of the strengths of the book is the frequent use of boxes to put alternative viewpoints and summaries to show where we are in the debate. The overall effect is one of the most lucid and readable introductory accounts of the topic that has been published in some while. As such it should be seen as a 'must-buy' and an essential addition to the library.