The Regions and global warming

de Jurgen Schmandt, Judith Clarkson

Concern about global climate change and the greenhouse effect is widespread. Responses have included initiatives at all levels, ranging from scientific studies to international political agreements. However, while a great deal of literature has emerged on the causes of global warming and ways to reduce greenhouse emissions, less attention has been devoted to regional impacts of and policy responses to the anticipated climate trends. This volume focuses on these specific regional responses, summarizing what is currently known about ways of studying local climate changes and the consequent policy options that are appropriate for different regions of the world. The book places a special emphasis on developing countries, which face the added risks caused by poverty and population growth. Among the topics covered are the loss of coastal land in the Chesapeake Bay region, the reshaping of settlement patterns in West and Central Africa, how climate change may affect rice growing in Thailand, how northeast Brazil offers a valuable case study by looking at climate change in the context of the broader development agenda, and what policy lessons can be drawn from studies of global warming and its impact on the Great Lakes forests of the United States. The book will provide important background information for all scientists, policy makers, and social analysts involved in the study of climate change and the development of environmental policies.