Antarctica's environment today is a microcosm of the wold environment's future: as endangered creatures, such as the chinstrap penguins, humpback whales, and albatrosses continue to face extinction, research scientists have concluded that this icy ecosystem serves as a final warning of impending environmental deterioration. Sebastian Copeland's photographs have captured both the incredible beauty of the continent and the devastation that climate changes have wreaked on it. His data, photographs, and conclusions — along with contributions from Will Steger, David De Rothschild, Stephen Schneider, Zac Goldsmith, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Leonardo DiCaprio — bring to readers with insight and urgency the momentous reality of the not so distant future with insight and urgency.
Written around 2005 this book is mostly a photo journal of the Antarctic but also touches on the consequences of global warming. Hotter temperatures are growing faster at the poles than anywhere else on the planet. The devastation a few degrees in temperature will make will have a catastrophic effect on our world. Reading this in 2019 brings into light the fact that although some people are striving to make a difference, not much has changed in many people's personal consumerism or the efforts of some companies to downplay the science that supports the dire predictions of global warming. The future scenarios of life on a warmer planet put forth in this book should not be taken lightly.
This book gets 5 stars for the photography alone! There are verbose forwards to tickle your mind and photos so beautiful they may cause goosebumps. Great coffee table book and conversation piece too!