Abstract

This chapter serves as an introduction to Part B of this volume. It provides context for an assessment of regional aspects of climate change in different parts of the world, which are presented in the following nine chapters. While the main focus of those chapters is on the regional dimensions of... Show moreThis chapter serves as an introduction to Part B of this volume. It provides context for an assessment of regional aspects of climate change in different parts of the world, which are presented in the following nine chapters. While the main focus of those chapters is on the regional dimensions of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability (IAV), this chapter also offers links to regional aspects of the physical climate reported by Working Group I (WGI) and of mitigation analysis reported by Working Group III (WGIII). The chapter frames the discussion of both global and regional issues in a decision-making context. This context identifies different scales of decisions that are made (e.g., global, international, regional, national,subnational, local) and the different economic or impact sectors that are often the objects of decision making (e.g., agriculture, water resources, energy). Show less