Climate: Into the 21st Century

Book excerpt: Climate: Into the 21st Century features an unrivalled collection of essays by the world's leading meteorological experts. Compiled by an international team formed under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), these fully integrated contributions provide a perspective of the global climate system across the 20th century. The most arresting and extreme climatic events are described. In addition, the book traces the development of our capabilities to observe and monitor the climate system, and outlines our understanding of the predictability of climate on many time-scales. Lavishly illustrated in colour and written in an accessible and engaging style, this book provides a very readable account of the challenges that climate poses at the start of the 21st Century. It will captivate the general reader interested in climate issues, as well as forming a valuable teaching resource.