Abstract

Global Environmental Change: Understanding the Human Dimensions Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change U. S. National Research Council Reviewed by Steve Rayner he last half decade has witnessed a flurry of activity by Much of the discussion of previous work and future re- T scholars from the natural and social sciences seeking search needs consolidates the research perspectives and to define a new field of inquiry focused on the human di- agendas presented in more fragmentary form by recent mensions of global change. One of the latest products of conferences and committees examining the human dimen- this activity is the report of the U.S. National Research sions of global environmental change. Thus, although Council’s Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global much of the report covers familiar ground for established Change, Global Environmental Change: Understanding researchers, it could serve as a useful introduction for the the Human Dimensions.’ The report assesses previous so- attentive public, potential funding agencies, and social sci- cial science research relevant to global environmental entists new to the topic. Several features, however, keep change within a framework of four concerns: proximate this report from being a state-of-the-art account of knowl- anthropogenic causes of