As anyone who has followed, even minimally, the news over the past several years is aware, climate change is about much more than environmental and ecological preservation--it is also about political, social, cultural, and economic issues. Bond (development studies, U. of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) offers background and context to the UN's Conference of the Parties at Kyoto, Copenhagen, Cancún, and Durban. In examining the variety of strategies (including those from South Africa) advanced to deal with climate change, he determines that they are unable to effectively confront the threat as long as their economies remain dependent on fossil fuels. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)