* Further substantial global warming is unavoidable and the risks to the natural world, the economy and our everyday lives are immense. The way we live in the next thirty years how we invest, use energy, organise transport and treat forests will determine whether these risks become realities. * Stern s central theme is the economic management of investment and growth from the perspective of both adaptation and mitigation. * Although poor countries the least responsible for climate change - will be hit earliest and hardest, all countries must adapt to the effects- hurricanes and storms hit New Orleans and Mumbai; flooding causes devastation in England and Mozambique; droughts occur in Australia and Darfur; and sea level rise will affect Florida and Bangladesh. * Action on Climate Change will require the greatest international collaboration the world has ever seen. * Accessible and clearly structured- What is the problem? What are the dangers? What can be done to reduce emissions, at what cost? How can the world adapt? What does all this mean for individuals, corporations, governments?