Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Introduction : climate variability, climate change and vulnerability : moving forward / Jesse C. Ribot -- pt. I Overview : Climate variation, vulnerability and sustainable development in the semi-arid tropics / Jesse C. Ribot, Adil Najam, Gabrielle Watson -- pt. II Climate variation, climate change and society : Climate change and variability in Mexico / Karen O'Brien, Diana Liverman -- The impact of climate variation and sustainable development in the Sudano-Sahelian region / Fredrick Joshua Wang'ati -- Climate change and sustainable development in China's semi-arid regions / Zong-ci Zhao -- Settlement advance and retreat : a century of experience on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia / R. Les Heathcote -- pt. III Climate variability and vulnerability : causality and response : Drought follows the plow : cultivating marginal areas / Michael H. Glantz -- Amazonia and the Northeast : the Brazilian tropics and sustainable development / Jan Bitoun, Leonardo Guimarães Neto, Tania Bacelar de Araújo -- Reducing the impacts of drought : progress toward risk management / Donald W. Wilhite -- pt. IV The international conference on the impacts of climate variations and sustainable development in semi-arid regions (ICID) : Declaration of Fortaleza -- Highlights of working group discussions and recommendations.

Climate fluctuations can trigger events that lead to mass migration, hunger and famine. Rather than attributing the blame to nature, the contributors look at the underlying causes of social vulnerability, such as the processes and organisation of society in the semi-arid tropics. Past and present susceptibility to destitution, hunger, and famine in the face of climate variability can teach us about the potential future consequences of climate change. By understanding why individuals, households, nations, and regions are vulnerable, and how they have buffered themselves against climatic and environmental fluctuations, present and future vulnerability can be redressed. Through case studies from across the globe, the authors explore past experiences with climate variability, and the likely effects of, and the possible policy responses to, the types of climatic events that global warming might bring.