This is not a book about climate science.Rather it analyses why some people dispute the reality, reliability andreasonableness of this science. The validity of the scientifi c consensusis therefore taken as a given, solely in order to analyse the views ofclimate change sceptics who dispute it. Nevertheless, most biological and environmental scientists do agreethat the scale of much human activity now exceeds the capacity of ourenvironment to sustain it, or to recycle the waste it generates. Using ariver as a source of water, a laundry and a toilet may be possible if youlive in a sparsely populated wilderness. If you live in a slum, however, itis likely to lead to your premature death. As such, many activities have become problematic simply becauseof the rate at which we are carrying them out. This includes pumpingcarbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Therefore this book addressesthe philosophical roots of scepticism, its possible misappropriation forideological reasons, and the psychological causes of denial. It concludesby suggesting that ending this denial of science is an essential next steptoward a sustainable future in a post-carbon era.