I wish everyone would read this book. Dyer's voice is as strong here as ever - he cuts through the bull and gets straight to the point with lots of interviews, research and gallows humour (which, believe me, you'll need - this is a GRIM read). Dyer is thoroughly realistic about the threat we face, our chances of meeting it with any success, and the moral hazards of some of the potential stop-gap solutions available through geo-engineering. This is a good book for those not thoroughly versed in climate change science - although Dyer is cerebral, his writing is plain and clear. He does take time to explain concepts and unpack some of the more info-dense quotes he gets from industry experts in language that is unadorned and well-chosen. To bring the facts home, Dyer begins each chapter with a future-set scenario he crafts himself using data projections. These scenarios do their job - although I felt overwhelmed at times with the gravity of the situation, they made potential outcomes easier to imagine and also picked up the pace of the book by a large margin. Readers who dislike slogging through a lot of plain hard facts may find this a more accessible read on climate change than several of the other options. I ended the book with a resolve to examine some of my less eco-friendly habits for downsizing or excision. I also ended the book with a need to tell everyone else to read the book. READ THE BOOK. THERE IS STUFF IN HERE YOU NEED TO KNOW - particularly if you're the sort of person who wants to live a reasoned, balanced and sustainable life.

Gwynne Dyer isn't afraid to ruffle feathers, irrespective of how the readers view the issue of climate change. Many will view what he has to say as unneccesarily alarmist. So be it, he would say. I expect his intention is to ring some bells. Clearly, he accepts the science that argues that human activity is promoting, in a very dangerous way, global warming. He very quickly points out that military organizations worldwide are preparing for this eventuality. He then leads us through a variety of "scenarios" as to how this could unflold in the next century. None of them are for the feint of heart. Clearly, in his view, we are in for some startling changes in the decades to come. It is quite a legacy we are leaving for future generations.

unpleasant outlook, but too selective in data