2022/01/13 by Kevin E. Trenberth · 1 citation
Energy · #Atmosphere (unit) #Climate change #Climate commitment #Climate model #Climate system #Climatology #Effects of global warming #Environmental science #Extreme weather #Geography #Geology #Global Energy and Sustainability Research #Global warming #Meteorology #Natural (archaeology) #Oceanography #Psychological resilience #Range (aeronautics)
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/9781108979030
published in Cambridge University Press eBooks (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 2022/01/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Kevin E. Trenberth emphasizes the fundamental role of energy flows in the climate system and anthropogenic climate change. The distribution of heat, or more generally, energy, is the main determinant of weather patterns in the atmosphere and their impacts. The topics addressed cover many facets of climate and the climate crisis. These include the diurnal cycle; the seasons; energy differences between the continents and the oceans, the poles and the tropics; interannual variability such as Niño; natural decadal variability; and ice ages. Human-induced climate change rides on and interacts with all of these natural phenomena, and the result is an unevenly warming planet and changing weather extremes. The book emphasizes the need to not only slow or stop climate change, but also to better prepare for it and build resilience. Students, researchers, and professionals from a wide range of backgrounds will benefit from this deeper understanding of climate change.