Planet Earth in Jeopardy: Environmental Consequences of Nuclear War

Following the SCOPE 28 study on the environmental consequences of nuclear war, Lydia Dotto was commissioned to write a popular account of the material which formed that particular project. The book which she produced is "Planet Earth in Jeopardy". The information and conclusions which SCOPE 28 reached are restated in an essentially readable way without the weight of scientific evidence and detail which formed the bulk of the original two volume book. Attention is focussed on the conclusions, theories and scenarios which the project considered and the likely outcome of nuclear exchange. Like the original project the analysis presents a rational series of scenarios without dwelling on extreme cases and likelihoods, the objective is to provide a realistic picture of the likely consequences. Moving in a logical sequence from nuclear exchange and immediate effects, the text explores the climatic and atmospheric changes induced, radiation and fallout, and then the putative biological consequences. These are then related to agricultural and general ecosystems and the resulting long term damage to recovery assessed. The final chapter draws the individual effects together and attempts to quantify the effect on human organisation and culture and the likely fate of the survivors.