This monumental work is to be published as a five-volume set with an associated Web site. The encyclopedia will contain: 500 authored articles; 750 definitions; 500 acronyms; 125 biographies of widely recognised contributors to global environmental change; 2500 line illustrations and 500 photographs. Each article will be prefaced by a few paragraphs aimed at the non-specialist level followed by a more rigorous academic review.
The five-volume set will be arranged around the following themes:
Volume 1: The Earth System: Physical and Chemical Dimensions of Global Environmental Change (including climatology, meteorology, physical oceanography, chemistry and Earth Surface processes);
Volume 2: The Earth System: Biological and Ecological Dimensions of Global Environmental Change (terrestrial and aquatic: marine and freshwater);
Volume 3: Causes and Consequences of Global Environmental Change (including natural as well as human forces);
Volume 4: Social and Economic Dimensions of Global Environmental Change (covering the biosphere and society and technical/social/engineering solutions);
Volume 5: Responding to Global Environmental Change (covering policy and related socioeconomic/ethical questions).
Taking a thematic approach rather than simply alphabetical, the encyclopedia will include theory, empirical studies and applications, emphasising the interrelationship between various disciplines and systems. This structure reflects the current development of environmental research and will make the product useful both as a research reference and as an advanced level teaching tool.
"[...] a major contribution to the literature on global environmental change [...]
- Journal of Climatology (to be published)
" [...] The volumes are very nicely made, making it a pleasure to sit and browse, to discover new details, or to freshen up known facts [...] "
- Environmental Geology, May 2002
"plenty in them to inform and entertain"
- Chemistry & Industry, 19 August 2002
" [...] The encyclopedia is likely to have a very wide readership in view of the scope of the work and the clarity and readability of the entries."
- International Journal of Quaternary Science Reviews
" [...] represents a major contribution to the literature on global environmental change [...] "
Int Jnl of Climatology, 15 November 2002
" [...] a unique state-of-the-art review at just the right time [...] "
- The Holocene, Vol.13, No.1, 2003
" [...] The Encyclopedia will be a valuable source of information [...] "
- Int Jnl of Environmental Anayltical Chemistry, Vol.82, No.10, 2002
" [...] deserves a wide readership in major public, university and institutional libraries, but also in companies, international organisation and the media [...] "
- Natur Wissenschaften, June 2003