Heat waves in Delhi and Athens. Hurricane Mitch in Central America and tornadoes in the USA. Floods in Britain and China. All unprecedented in severity. Unprecedented in frequency. What is happening to the world's weather? What are the world's governments doing about it? This book takes us through the science and behind the politics to explore:

* Climate instability: do we need to worry?

* Global warming: what is the evidence?

* The likely outcome: what will be the likely impact of increases in temperatures, rising oceans, shifts in rainfall patterns -- not just on low-lying countries and islands in both the industrialized and developing countries, but on all regions of the world?

* Action: most important of all, what can be done? What are scientists recommending? What happened during the climate change negotiations at Kyoto and elsewhere? Why are the politicians disagreeing? Does the Bonn agreement, without the United States on board, make sense?

This book makes clear for the general reader what is at stake; the difficulties of concerted action; the conflicting concerns of countries North and South; and the urgent necessity for all of us to press our politicians to take climate change seriously.