Climate novel wins prestigious science prize
Six Degrees charts the potential impact of climate change
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Tuesday, 17, Jun 2008 12:04
A novel describing how the world could change with a 6C rise in temperature has won a prestigious science writing prize.
Mark Lynas' Six degrees: Our Future On a Hotter Planet was handed the 21st Royal Society prize for science books last night as well as £10,000 prize money.
His book charts, degree by degree, the consequences of global warming on the planet.
It includes warnings of rivers ten times the size of the Amazon gushing off the ice sheet into the North Atlantic, crippling drought in Pakistan and a super storm hitting New York.
Mr Lynas also outlines how steps can be taken now to prevent further climate change.
He said he is "delighted" to be honoured with the prize.
"With climate change such a politicised issue, recognition from the Royal Society is hugely welcome and a tremendous honour for me," Mr Lynas added.
Professor Jonathan Ashmore, chair of the judges described Six Degrees as a "compelling and gripping view of how climate change could affect our world".
"It presents a series of scientifically plausible, worst case scenarios without tipping into hysteria. Six degrees is not just a great read, written in an original way, but also provides a good overview of the latest science on this highly topical issue."