Table Of ContentBookReviews
Climate change:
turning up the heat
by A Barrie Pittock CLIMATE
CHANGE
Publishers: CSIROPublications,
TURNING UP THE HEAT
Collingwood;Earthscan, London,
2005. 316pages,paperback; ISBN.
RRP$39.95
A.BAKJUEPlTfOCK
Yes, there’s another book on climate overwhelming, though to some extent
change - and no wonder, it's serious stuff. uncertain, evidence ofanthropogenic cli-
Adding tothe now hefty weightofliterature mate change. We deal with uncertainty
ontheclimateandourfutureisthisoutstand- every day and don’t generally ignore it: we
ing contribution from an expert in the field: wear seatbelts to reduce the risk ofserious
Barrie Pittock has been a leading researcher injury in the rare event ofan accident. The
ofclimatechangewithCSIROandservedon IPCC estimated that by 2100 global CO2
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate concentrations will be 75 - 350% higher
Change (IPCC). The author’s credentials than pre-industrial values, leading to an
give this book a unique perspective on the increase in temperature of1.4- 5.8 °C and
problems we face and how they might be consequent sea-level rises of9 88 cm.
addressed. It stands outas abook thatoffers Because these are broad ranges, and indeed
lucid explanations offact, uncertainty, risk estimates,theauthorhelpfully outlines how
and climate science. Discussed are environ- we estimate risk and measure climate
mental changes wrought by excessive con- change: e.g, how reliable are temperature
sumptionandoverpopulation, and howthese measurements from within cities compared
will affect the environment and we humans tothose from satellites? The issueofuncer-
that depend on it - probably in a very tainty is a strong theme ofthe book at two
inequitableway.Thisisalsoasolutionsbook levels: in science (how much climate
thatspeakstoyouandme,andpolicymakers. change will there be?) and in future human
InthechapterkLearningfromthepast’,the and societal behaviour (how well will we
reasons forpast climate changes (e.g. varia- copewithreducingouremissions?).
tions in Earth’s orbit, solar output, and vol- ‘Impacts: why be concerned?’ explains
canic eruptions) and the lessons we can why we should be deeply worried ifeven
learn from them are discussed. These only the minimum estimates oftempera-
changes are often citedas a reason forcom- ture increase are realised. Here, Pittock
placency {ifpeople survived these in the quotes from the IPCC on: risks to threat-
past, why not in thefuture?)* but the author ened environments and biodiversity (the
reminds us that this ignores our now very Great Barrier Reef already is showing
different place in the environment. For signs of its likely demise not only will
example, large populations are unable to we lose a cherished soul-enriching habitat,
migrate across national boundaries, and we but we should remember that the reefalso
have mass reliance on relatively few food enriches the Australian economy by $1 to
crops; also, the ‘climate change that we can 2 billion, each year); risks from extreme
expect in the next 100 years has happened weather events (damages to ecosystems,
before, butata much slowerrateand froma crops [why are our North Queensland
coolerstartingpoint’. bananas so expensive now?] and society);
The chapter title, ‘Uncertainty is inequitable distribution of impacts (the
inevitable,butrisk iscertain’,asnotedinthe poor [in low-latitude, developing coun-
foreword, is an erudite comment on the tries] will suffer most as their lands
heartoftheclimatechangedebate;thechap- become too hot and dry for habitation);
ter itselfdetails why we cannot ignore the risks from large-scale discontinuities such
Vol. 123 (5) 2006 321
BookReviews
as melting ofthe Greenland and West ‘population issues and climate policy need
Antarctic Ice Sheets (many heavily popu- to be linked’ - but, since populations gen-
latedcoastal areaswouldbeflooded). erally decline over generations (long-term)
'Living with climate change’ discusses the urgent reductions in emissions per person
many things we’ll have to do to adapt, and (inthewest) needtobeenactednow.
highlights the inequity oftheseforced adap- A chapter on the politics of climate
tations. 'There are equity issues...since change gives a fascinating glimpse into
adaptation is necessary for people that are negotiations in the 1PCC and deals with
affectedbyclimatechange,butnotnecessar- much morebesides, underheadingssuch as
ily forthosewho havecausedit'. A familiar ‘what about the uncertainty?', ‘how realistic
example is the Pacific islanders who will are thescenarios?’, ‘choosingemissionstar-
havetoevacuatetheirsubmergedhomelands gets' and ‘how urgently do we need to
ableicsaeudsneatoifontsh:ewchhoansgheosulcdapuasyedfobrythiinsd?ustri- taacrtg?et.sItanisdnhootewdwtehaatdainptc,hwooesifancgeehmuigsesieotnhs-
As well as adaptation, we must practise ical issues around which people or fauna
mitigation ofclimate change (‘Limiting cli- and flora will survive increasing tempera-
mate change’, chapter 8) by reducing green- tures, rising oceans, more intense storms
housegasemissions.Thisneednotbeexpen- etc. The author also considers how climate
sive - huge savings can be made by being change will affect different countries and
more efficient. Mitigation is especially what specific nations can do to mitigate
important as, even with minimum estimates global greenhouse gas emissions; he looks
ofclimate change (a global rise of2 - 3 °C at Canberra’s reasons for not signing the
before the end ofthis century), adaptation Kyoto protocol and provides well-reasoned
will beextremelycostlyandoftenimpossible and fact-basedcounterarguments.
to implement. Most alarmingly, however, Theauthoroften quotes from literatureand
without mitigation, irreversible changes will IPCC reports. Useful headings and bulleted
be set in train that may not be apparentuntil summaries afford a quick grasp ofthe main
it istoo late (ifit isn'talready); forexample, points, or the reader can spend time with
the thawing ofthe Arctic tundra would Pittock’s lucid, well-referenced discussions.
release huge amounts ofCO: and methane The ‘sources ofinformation’section cites
leading to further, accelerated warming; as reports, texts, papers and, importantly, cate-
would the melting ofthe ice sheets through gorised websites (e.g. government agencies,
the consequent lack ofsolar reflection that NGOs, renewables...). It’s a little repetitive
thesewhiteexpansesnowprovide. in parts, butthisallowssectionstoberead in
What can we do about it? The obvious isolation and it can act as a useful, well-
switch to non-fossil fuels is thoroughly indexedreferencebook.
aired, with the advantages and disadvan- This is a disturbing book, but provides an
tages ofwind, nuclear, hydrogen, etc well impetus forchange, andtolerance inthe light
discussed. Pitlocknotesthattruly renewable ofthe changes we face. In theclosing chap-
and essentially harmless means ofenergy ter. ‘Accepting the challenge’, the author
generation, such as wind power, are few; adds a note ofoptimism; ’It is not about
and I note that Victorian naturalists should doom and gloom ... but exciting technolo-
not be quiet while dubious cases, such as gies, creating new markets, opportunities for
that ofthe orange-bellied parrot, are argued investments ... solving several problems at
againsttheerectionofwindturbines. once ... enjoyingourrelationshipwithnature
Climate change is put in context with and creating a sustainable future. It is about
other pressing problems of fresh water, making life better? My view is that we’re
ozone, atmospheric pollution, overpopula- going to need strong, honest politicians to
tionand security issues, and theconclusion make sure we have more than a short-term
is drawn that all are, ofcourse, linked. view ofwhat’s good forus, andwhat’s right
Pittock points out that greenhouse gas fortherestofEarth’sinhabitants.
emissions are essentially a problem of
overpopulation, butwith thevast burden of PeterBeech
emissions coming from the developed DSecahkoiolnoUfniLviefresiatnyd,2E2n1viBrounrmweonotdalHSicgihewnacye,s
countries. Thus, ‘the population issue boils Burwood,Victoria3125
down to one ofsustainable development’; [email protected]
322 The Victorian Naturalist
