Legless_Marine2
05-21-2009, 05:07 PM
"The Vanishing Face of Gaia", subtitled "A final warning" is the latest offering from James Lovelock, the scientist who brought us the "Gaia Theory", that describes the Earth as a self-regulating supersystem. His last book, "The revenge of Gaia", described global warming in the context of Gaia, and how the Earth's disequilibrium, and subsequent return to it, will be catastrophic to humanity.
In "Vanishing Face", Lovelock fleshes out this scenario, adding in a chapter on Geoengineering solutions, as well as a couple of chapters that recap the development of the Gaia theory. The best part of this book, by far, is the introduction. That's not to say that it's a bad book, so much as an excellent introduction.
Lovelock's presentation of GW delves deeper than the generally shared understanding, but he abstracts it in a way that is both accessible and plausible. Lovelock explains climate change in a way that leaves you slapping your forehead and exlaiming "of course! That's the way it HAS to work!". He makes effective use of metaphor, and one doesn't have to have a background in science to attain a clear grasp of the Lovelockian interpretation of climate change.
In essence, Lovelock suggests that the minor perturbations in global climate presently felt are the part of the ongoing struggle of the Earth to maintain equilibrium in the face of global heating. Currently, the heating of the Earth is being buffered by polar glaciers, whose melting will immediately manifest as a rise in sea level, not in air temperature. Once we lose the global air conditioners at our poles, Gaia will lose the ability to maintain equilibrium, and things will suddenly spiral out of control.
Lovelock believes that the IPCC's projections are overly conservative, neutered by the unscientific requirement to achieve a politically acceptable consensus. He lays out how even their recent IPCC predictions of temperature increase and glacial melt have been outpaced by events.
To Lovelocks's mind, we've already passed the point of no return, and nothing short of geoengineering projects, such as sunshades or ocean seeding to encourgage algae growth, can save us. Unfortunately, his chapter on geoengineering is fairly disappointing, due to limit of scope and failure to break new ground. The topic of Geoengineering is far better covered by it's wikipedia entry.
Lovelock has a strong sense of what is and what is not science. He is a scientist, naturalist, ecologist, but not an environmentalist. Ironically, some of what this proto-environmentalist says puts him completely at odds with contemporary environmentalism - For example, his advocacy of the adoption of nuclear power.
There is a certain epic feel to Lovelock's approach to ecology. He's the original Earth-firster, and looks beyond concern for any one species of the Gaia's inhabitants, to the need to maintain an Earth that is resilient and hospitable to life. He doesn't want to save humans, whales, or Pandas, but instead wants to save the Earth - For without Gaia, there can be no humans, whales or Pandas.
All in all, this Book comes across as a swan song. At 90 years old, and about to embark upon his first visit to space (Courtesy of Sir Richard Branson), this is clearly Lovelock's last word. I was really looking forward to this book, but all in all, I think he made his case better in "Revenge of Gaia". Other than an overview of the Gaia theory and recap of Lovelock's career, this book doesn't add much. My recommendation is to save your $$$, and instead buy a copy of "revenge of Gaia", which I heartily recommand as a must-read on climate change.
In "Vanishing Face", Lovelock fleshes out this scenario, adding in a chapter on Geoengineering solutions, as well as a couple of chapters that recap the development of the Gaia theory. The best part of this book, by far, is the introduction. That's not to say that it's a bad book, so much as an excellent introduction.
Lovelock's presentation of GW delves deeper than the generally shared understanding, but he abstracts it in a way that is both accessible and plausible. Lovelock explains climate change in a way that leaves you slapping your forehead and exlaiming "of course! That's the way it HAS to work!". He makes effective use of metaphor, and one doesn't have to have a background in science to attain a clear grasp of the Lovelockian interpretation of climate change.
In essence, Lovelock suggests that the minor perturbations in global climate presently felt are the part of the ongoing struggle of the Earth to maintain equilibrium in the face of global heating. Currently, the heating of the Earth is being buffered by polar glaciers, whose melting will immediately manifest as a rise in sea level, not in air temperature. Once we lose the global air conditioners at our poles, Gaia will lose the ability to maintain equilibrium, and things will suddenly spiral out of control.
Lovelock believes that the IPCC's projections are overly conservative, neutered by the unscientific requirement to achieve a politically acceptable consensus. He lays out how even their recent IPCC predictions of temperature increase and glacial melt have been outpaced by events.
To Lovelocks's mind, we've already passed the point of no return, and nothing short of geoengineering projects, such as sunshades or ocean seeding to encourgage algae growth, can save us. Unfortunately, his chapter on geoengineering is fairly disappointing, due to limit of scope and failure to break new ground. The topic of Geoengineering is far better covered by it's wikipedia entry.
Lovelock has a strong sense of what is and what is not science. He is a scientist, naturalist, ecologist, but not an environmentalist. Ironically, some of what this proto-environmentalist says puts him completely at odds with contemporary environmentalism - For example, his advocacy of the adoption of nuclear power.
There is a certain epic feel to Lovelock's approach to ecology. He's the original Earth-firster, and looks beyond concern for any one species of the Gaia's inhabitants, to the need to maintain an Earth that is resilient and hospitable to life. He doesn't want to save humans, whales, or Pandas, but instead wants to save the Earth - For without Gaia, there can be no humans, whales or Pandas.
All in all, this Book comes across as a swan song. At 90 years old, and about to embark upon his first visit to space (Courtesy of Sir Richard Branson), this is clearly Lovelock's last word. I was really looking forward to this book, but all in all, I think he made his case better in "Revenge of Gaia". Other than an overview of the Gaia theory and recap of Lovelock's career, this book doesn't add much. My recommendation is to save your $$$, and instead buy a copy of "revenge of Gaia", which I heartily recommand as a must-read on climate change.