The atmospheric economic climate: risks and opportunities

Abstract

Since The Value of the Weather was published in 1970 (Maunder, 1970) the acceptance of the atmosphere as a variable and 'elite' resource that may be despoiled, modified, monitored, ignored, used and forecast, has become a reality. Nevertheless, this realisation exists only in certain nations, communities, institutions and companies. Indeed, there remain many people - both within and external to the field of weather and climate - who still consider that the weather and climate resource is devoid of value and therefore has no place in operational decision-making. A new book The Uncertainty Business: Risks and Opportunities in Weather and Climate (Maunder, 1986) goes far beyond the 1970 volume The Value of the Weather. While the latter provided for the first time an overview of the 'economic dimensions' of climate and human activities, it stopped short of addressing the manner in which decisions involving the atmosphere are actually made. The new volume provides fresh insights into this key issue. Specifically it considers how the variable nature of a particular and elite resource so often taken for granted - the atmosphere - must be accepted as an integral part of the management package. It should be emphasised that the book does no cover all aspects of applied meteorology and climatology. Rather, the book provides a basis for the lateral thinking that is necessary if a true appreciation of the value and use of weather and climate information is to be realised. The book consists of eight chapters; these are now briefly described, together with a few selected extracts from each chapter. Hopefully, these will provide an insight into the risks and opportunities associated with the 'atmospheric economic climate'.