Climate Change 2007 - Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Working Group II contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC

The Climate Change 2007 volumes of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provide the most comprehensive and balanced assessment of climate change available. This IPCC Working Group II volume provides a completely up-to-date scientific assessment of the impacts of climate change, the vulnerability of natural and human environments, and the potential for response through adaptation. Written by the world's leading experts, the IPCC volumes will again prove to be invaluable for researchers, students, and policymakers, and will form the standard reference works for policy decisions for government and industry worldwide.

Foreword; Preface; Introduction; Summary for policymakers; Technical summary; 1. Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems; 2. New assessment methodologies and the characterisation of future conditions; 3. Fresh water resources and their management; 4. Ecosystems, their properties, goods and services; 5. Food, fibre and forest products; 6. Coastal systems and low-lying areas; 7. Industry, settlement and society; 8. Human health; 9. Africa; 10. Asia; 11. Australia and New Zealand; 12. Europe; 13. Latin America; 14. North America; 15. Polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic); 16. Small islands; 17. Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity; 18. Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation; 19. Assessing key vulnerabilities and the risk from climate change; 20. Perspectives on climate change and sustainability - 811 Cross-chapter case studies; Appendix I. Glossary; Appendix II. Contributors to the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report; Appendix III. Reviewers of the IPCC WGII Fourth Assessment Report; Appendix IV. Acronyms and abbreviations; Appendix V. Index and database of regional content; Index; CD-ROM.