List of contributors Foreword Preface List of acronyms and abbreviations Part I. Climatic Trends: 1. Identifying, monitoring and predicting change in the climate system 2. The oceans and the climate system 3. Sea level rise and ice sheet dynamics 4. Carbon cycle trends and vulnerabilities Part II. Defining 'Dangerous Climate Change': 5. The impact of climate change on human societies 6. Impacts of climate change on the biotic fabric of the planet 7. Tipping elements: jokers in the pack 8. Linking science and action: targets, timetables and emission budgets Part III. Equity Issues: 9. The equity challenge and climate policy: responsibilities, vulnerabilities and inequality in the response to climate change 10. A long-term perspective on climate change: values and ethics Part IV. Mitigation and Adaptation Approaches: 11. Low-carbon energy technologies as mitigation approaches 12. Economic approaches and instruments 13. Geopolitics and governance 14. Adapting to the unavoidable Part V. Meeting the Challenge: 15. Integrating adaptation, mitigation and sustainable development 16. Mobilising the population 17. The human-Earth relationship: past, present and future Index.