While a number of gases are implicated in global warming, carbon dioxide is the most important contributor, and in one sense the entire phenomena can be seen as a human-induced perturbation of the carbon cycle. The Global Carbon Cycle offers a scientific assessment of the state of current knowledge of the carbon cycle by the world's leading scientists sponsored by SCOPE and the Global Carbon Project, and other international partners. It gives an introductory over-view of the carbon cycle, with multidisciplinary contributions covering biological, physical, and social science aspects. Included are 29 chapters covering topics including: an assessment of carbon-climate-human interactions; a portfolio of carbon management options; spatial and temporal distribution of sources and sinks of carbon dioxide; socio-economic driving forces of emissions scenarios.
Throughout, contributors emphasize that all parts of the carbon cycle are interrelated, and only by developing a framework that considers the full set of feedbacks will we be able to achieve a thorough understanding and develop effective management strategies.
The Global Carbon Cycle edited by Christopher B. Field and Michael R. Raupach is part of the Rapid Assessment Publication series produced by the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), in an effort to quickly disseminate the collective knowledge of the world's leading experts on topics of pressing environmental concern.
List of Colorplates, Figures, Tables, Boxes, and Appendixes Foreword Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. The Global Carbon Cycle: Integrating Humans, Climate, and the Natural World
PART I: Crosscutting Issues Chapter 2. Current Status and Past Trends of the Global Carbon Cycle Chapter 3. The Vulnerability of the Carbon Cycle in the 21st Century: An Assessment of Carbon-Climate-Human Interactions Chapter 4. Scenarios, Targets, Gaps, and Costs Chapter 5. A Portfolio of Carbon Management Options Chapter 6. Interactions between CO2 Stabilization Pathways and Requirements for a Sustainable Earth System
PART II: Overview of the Carbon Cycle Chapter 7. A Paleo-Perspective on Changes in Atmospheric CO2 and Climate Chapter 8. Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Sources and Sinks of Carbon Dioxide Chapter 9. Non-CO2Greenhouse Gases Chapter 10. Climate–Carbon Cycle Interactions Chapter 11. Socioeconomic Driving Forces of Emissions Scenarios
PART III: The Carbon Cycle of the Oceans Chapter 12. Natural Processes Regulating the Ocean Uptake of CO2 Chapter 13. Variability and Climate Feedback Mechanisms in Ocean Uptake of CO2
PART IV: The Carbon Cycle of the Land Chapter 14. A Primer on the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle: What We Don't Know But Should Chapter 15. Geographic and Temporal Variation of Carbon Exchange by Ecosystems and Their Sensitivity to Environmental Perturbations Chapter 16. Current Consequences of Past Actions: How to Separate Direct from Indirect
PART V: The Carbon Cycle of Land-Ocean Margins Chapter 17. Pathways of Atmospheric CO2 through Fluvial Systems Chapter 18. Exchanges of Carbon in the Coastal Seas
PART VI: Humans and the Carbon Cycle Chapter 19. Pathways of Regional Development and the Carbon Cycle Chapter 20. Social Change and CO2 Stabilization: Moving away from Carbon Cultures Chapter 21. Carbon Transport through International Commerce
PART VII: Purposeful Carbon Management Chapter 22. Near- and Long-Term Climate Change Mitigation Potential Chapter 23. Unanticipated Consequences: Thinking about Ancillary Benefits and Costs of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation Chapter 24. International Policy Framework on Climate Change: Sinks in Recent International Agreements Chapter 25. A Multi-Gas Approach to Climate Policy Chapter 26. Storage of Carbon Dioxide by Greening the Oceans? Chapter 27. Direct Injection of CO2 in the Ocean Chapter 28. Engineered Biological Sinks on Land Chapter 29. Abatement of Nitrous Oxide, Methane, and the Other Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases: The Need for a Systems Approach
List of Contributors SCOPE Series List SCOPE Executive Committee Index
