Our Threatened Climate: Ways of Averting the CO2 Problem Through Rational Energy Use

Executive Summary.- I. Introduction.- II. Climate and Climatic Change.- 1. History of the Earth’s Climate.- 2. Climate System.- 3. Climate Models and Prediction.- 4. Climate Research Programme.- III. Sociopolitical Aspects of the CO2/Climate Problem.- 1. Population Growth.- 2. Settlement Patterns.- 3. Economic Development.- 4. Availability of Fossil Fuels.- 5. Future Energy Use.- 6. Degradation of Forest and Soil.- IV. Influence of Society on Climate.- 1. Climatic Effects of CO2.- 2. Climatic Effects of other Anthropogenic Trace Gases.- 3. Climatic Effects of Aerosols.- 4. Climatic Effects of Land Use Changes.- 5. Climatic Effects of Waste Heat.- 6. Assessment of Overall Effects - Critical Threshold Values —Prospects.- V. Impacts of Climate Change on Society.- 1. Climate Impact Programmes.- 2. Ecosystems.- 3. Energy Use.- 4. Food Security.- 5. Water Resources.- 6. Fisheries.- 7. Population and Settlement.- 8. Health, Disease and Welfare.- 9. Recreation.- VI. Strategies for Averting a CO2/Climate Problem.- 1. The Scope of Alternatives and Concepts for Action.- 2. Technical Fixes.- 3. Biological Methods.- 4. Energy Saving Through Better Energy Use.- 5. Introduction of Renewable Energy Resources.- 6. Effects of Various Energy Strategies.- 7. Flanking Measures.- 8. Decision Aids.- VII. Opportunities for the Future.- 1. The Old Credence in Progress — The New Credibility.- 2. Man: Shaping his Own Future?.- 3. Prospects: Extrapolating Old Trends.- 4. Prospects: Shifting Emphases.- 5. Ways out of the CO2/Climate Threat.- Further Reading.- Appendices.- Author Index.