Note: Cover -- Half-title -- Series information -- Title page -- Copyright information -- Contents -- Contributors -- Preface -- Objectives -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Part I Future Earth and Planetary Issues -- 1 International Drivers to Study Climatic and Environmental Change: A Challenge to Scientific Unions -- 1.1 Climatic Change -- 1.2 International Political Drivers in Relation to Climate Change -- 1.3 International Inter-Governmental Drivers -- 1.3.1 The Work of the IPCC -- 1.3.1.1 Special Reports -- 1.4 Other International Drivers -- 1.5 The International Scientific Response -- 1.6 The Role of Scientific Unions -- 1.7 Sustainability -- 1.7.1 Quantifying Sustainability -- 1.7.2 The Role of Geodesists and Geophysicists -- 1.7.3 Neo-Cornucopianism and Malthusianism -- 1.7.3.1 Food -- 1.8 Gaps -- 1.9 Summary -- 1.9.1 Develop a New Body - Either by Merger or by Creation of a New Body -- 1.9.2 Collaborate with Like-Minded Individuals -- 1.9.3 Develop a New Program -- Internet Resources -- References -- 2 Future Earth and Expected Mega Changes -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Observed Changes in the Climate System -- 2.3 Future Climate and Expected Mega Changes -- 2.3.1 Expected Future Changes in the Earth's Environment in Some Future Years -- 2.4 What Are Mega Changes? -- 2.4.1 Increased Displacement of People -- 2.4.1.1 Widespread Drought and Undermined Food Security -- 2.4.1.2 Increased Poverty and Hunger -- 2.4.1.3 National Security Implications -- 2.4.2 Reduced Surface and Groundwater Resources, Water Crisis -- 2.4.2.1 Melting of Himalayan Glaciers -- 2.4.3 Increased Extreme Events -- 2.4.4 Irreversible Changes -- 2.4.4.1 Warmer Temperatures -- 2.4.4.2 Sea-Level Rise -- 2.4.4.3 Changing Geography -- 2.4.4.4 Ocean Acidification -- 2.4.4.5 Extinction of Species -- 2.4.4.6 Loss of Amazon Rain Forest -- 2.4.4.7 Reduced Permafrost Extent. , 2.4.4.8 Exacerbated Human Health Problem -- 2.5 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- Internet Resources -- References -- 3 Global Change, Space Weather, and Climate -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 The Sun and the Heliosphere -- 3.3 The Magnetic Field of the Earth -- 3.4 Interaction between the Sun and the Earth's Magnetic Field -- 3.5 Space Weather Effects on Technology -- 3.6 The Climate System -- 3.7 Sun-Climate Relationship -- 3.8 Conclusions -- References -- 4 Climate Issues from the Planetary Perspective and Insights for the Earth -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 The Terrestrial Planets -- 4.2.1 The Current Climate of Venus and Contrast with Earth -- 4.2.2 Current Climate of Mars Compared to Earth -- 4.2.3 Early Climates of Earth, Mars and Venus -- 4.2.4 Common Evolutionary Processes -- 4.3 Titan -- 4.3.1 An Earth-Like World in the Outer Solar System -- 4.3.2 Seasonal Effects and Meteorology at 10 AU -- 4.4 Space Weather in the Solar System -- 4.4.1 Planetary Space Weather Agents, Analogy and Contrast with Earth -- 4.4.2 The Significant Role of the Sun in Space Weather at the Terrestrial Planets -- 4.4.3 Space Weather Phenomena in the Outer Solar System -- 4.5 Conclusions: Implications from Planetary Studies for Future Earth Climate -- References -- Part II Future Earth and Geodetic Issues -- 5 Satellite Remote Sensing of Hydrological Change -- 5.1 Introduction - Monitoring the Water Balance -- 5.2 The Panta Rhei Scientific Decade of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences: Change in Hydrology and Society -- 5.3 The Water Balance under Human Impact -- 5.3.1 Reducing Uncertainty of Water Budget through Hydrological Modelling -- 5.3.2 Reducing Uncertainty of Water Budget through Improved Monitoring -- 5.4 Monitoring Water Balance Components by Satellite Missions -- 5.4.1 Monitoring Water Storage: The GRACE Missions. , 5.4.2 Monitoring Water Levels and Surface Discharges: The SWOT Mission -- 5.4.3 Monitoring Soil Moisture: The SMOS and SMAP Missions -- 5.4.4 Monitoring Precipitation: The TRMM and GPM Missions -- 5.4.5 Monitoring Evaporation: The Terra (CERES, MODIS) Mission -- 5.5 Concluding Remarks -- References -- 6 Geodetic Observations as a Monitor of Climate Change -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Shape of the Earth -- 6.3 The Earth's Gravity Field -- 6.3.1 Satellite Gravity -- 6.3.2 SatelliteLaser Ranging -- 6.3.3 GRACE Satellite Gravimetry -- 6.4 Earth Rotation -- 6.5 Conclusions -- References -- Part III Future Earth and the Earth's Fluid Environment -- 7 Future Earth and the Cryosphere -- 7.1 Ice and Snow on Earth -- 7.2 Past Climate and Sea Level Change Involving the Cryosphere -- 7.3 Ice, Solid Earth and Sea-Level Interactions -- 7.4 Current Changes to Ice Sheets -- 7.5 Current Changes to Glaciers -- 7.6 Projected Future Changes to the Cryospheric Contribution to Sea Level Rise -- 7.7 Techniques, Systems and Networks to Assess Cryospheric Change on Future Earth -- 7.8 Concluding Remarks -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Appendix 1 -- 8 Geographical Research and Future Earth -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Geography and Global Environmental Change -- 8.3 Human Impact on the Environment: Past, Present and 'Post-Holocene' -- 8.4 Hazards, Risks and Disasters -- 8.5 Remote Sensing and GIS -- 8.6 Steps to Sustainability? -- 8.7 The Future of Future Earth and Geography? -- References -- 9 Water Security: Integrating Lessons Learned for Water Quality, Quantity and Sustainability -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.1.1 Defining Water Security -- 9.1.2 Case Study Template -- Arsenic Case Study -- Pesticide Use and Biodiversity Case Study -- Nitrate Case Study -- 9.2 Future Directions -- 9.3 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- References. , 10 Decadal Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction in North Atlantic and Global Warming Hiatus -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Data and Methodology -- 10.2.1 Data -- 10.2.2 Statistical Method -- 10.2.3 Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) -- 10.3 The Decadal-Scale Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mode: The NAT-NAO-AMOC-AMO (NNAA) Mode -- 10.3.1 Dominant Modes of SSTA Multidecadal Variability -- 10.3.2 The Direct Effect of the NAT on the NAO -- 10.3.3 The NAO Forcing on the AMOC and AMO -- 10.3.4 The Negative Feedback of the AMO on the NAT -- 10.3.5 A Mechanism of Multidecadal Variability in the North Atlantic -- 10.4 The Impact of the NNAA Decadal Coupled Mode on the Recent Warming Hiatus in the NHT -- 10.5 Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 11 Sea Level Rise and Future Earth -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Observations of Recent-Past and Present-Day Sea Level Variations -- 11.2.1 Twentieth Century -- 11.2.2 Satellite Altimetry Era -- 11.3 Causes of Present-Day Sea Level Rise -- 11.3.1 Steric Sea Level -- 11.3.2 Land Ice Contribution to Sea Level -- 11.3.2.1 Glaciers -- 11.3.2.2 Ice Sheets -- 11.3.3 Land Water Storage -- 11.4 Global Mean Sea Level Budget (Altimetry Era) -- 11.5 Regional Variability in Sea Level -- 11.6 Human-Induced versus Internal Climate Variability Influence on Sea Level Change -- 11.7 Future Sea Level Changes -- 11.8 Current Challenges from a Geophysical Perspective -- 11.9 Conclusion -- References -- 12 Ocean Circulation: Knowns and Unknowns -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 Abrupt Climate Changes during the Last Glacial and Related AMOC Changes -- 12.3 Deglaciation and the Evolution of the Deep Atlantic Ocean Circulation since the Last Glacial Maximum -- 12.4 Changes in Ocean Circulation Associated with Global Warming -- 12.5 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Part IV Future Earth and Regions. , 13 Asian Groundwater Perspectives on Global Change and Future Earth -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Subsurface Environmental Changes Due to Urbanization in Asian Megacities -- 13.3 Subsurface Warming Due to Global Warming and Urbanization in Asia -- 13.4 Land-Ocean Interaction and Loads from Land to the Ocean in Asia -- 13.5 Groundwater Depletion in Asia -- 13.6 Transformation toward Sustainable Water Use in Asia -- 13.7 Conclusion -- References -- 14 Africa's Broken Food Systems: Unravelling the Hidden Fortune under Climate Change -- 14.1 Background and Current Status of Affairs -- 14.2 Potentials for Agricultural Transformation -- 14.3 Solutions I - Key Players and Partnerships -- 14.4 Solutions II - Climate Action as an Opportunity to Mend Africa's Broken Food Systems -- 14.4.1 Basis to Leverage Opportunities in the Paris Deal to Actualize Agro-Industrialization -- 14.4.1.1 Fulfilling the Agenda 2030 and Paris Agreement through Sustainable Agro-Industrialization -- 14.4.2 Tapping into COP21 Opportunities -- 14.4.3 The Ecosystems Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA)- Delivery Pathway -- 14.5 Conclusion -- Internet Resources -- References -- Part V Future Earth and Urban Environments -- 15 Nutrition, Urban Environments, and Future Earth -- 15.1 Introduction -- 15.2 Global Population Size and Projections -- 15.2.1 What Are the Drivers of These Demographic Changes? -- 15.3 Food and Nutrition Security in Urban Environments -- 15.4 Global Nutrition Situation -- 15.5 Global Nutrition Initiatives -- 15.6 What Is the Global Burden of Malnutrition? -- 15.7 Rural/Urban Differentials -- 15.8 Environmental Effects of Urbanization -- 15.9 Urbanization and Climate Change -- 15.10 Future Earth for Sustainable Development -- 15.11 Conclusions -- References -- Color Plates -- 16 Nutrition Science and Future Earth: Current Nutritional Policy Dilemmas. , 16.1 Responsibilities.