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Environmental Studies: 
Climate Change & Global Warming
Compiled by Deborah Metzger
CSUS Associate Science Librarian
Paper Topics 

Books

 Reference Sources Journal Articles Internet Sites

Paper Topics
Often, the most difficult part of your research is finding an appropriate topic. There is more information on global warming than you'll be able to read in a lifetime, so you will need to focus your research on an aspect that you can reasonably cover in your paper.  You can try browsing your textbook for interesting topics or doing a subject search on global warming in the EBSCO Academic Search Preimer database and then reviewing the “Narrow Results by Subject ” listing in the left column. 

Books
If you are looking for a specific book, do a TITLE or AUTHOR search in the EUREKA Library Catalog.  Otherwise begin your search for books by doing a KEYWORD search. Possible keywords include:
climatic change
global warming
greenhouse gases  
ozone layer depletion

Or you can narrow your focus by using one of the terms listed above, along with one of the following:

agriculture  emissions trading
Arctic [or other specific region] glaciers
coral bleaching human health
disease polar melting

If you like the results of the keyword search, find other books on the same subject by clicking on the SUBJECTS listed near the bottom of  the entry.  Only use a Subject search in the EUREKA Library Catalog if you know the appropriate LC Subject heading. Listed below are several L.C. Subject Headings along with the call number so that you can browse the book shelves: 

GE 149 Global environmental change
GE 160 Environmental policy
HC 795 .P55 Carbon taxes or carbon offsetting
QC 879.7   Ozone layer depletion
QC 912.3  Greenhouse effect
QC 981.8 Global warming
S 600  Crops and Climate

For a more complete list of LC subject headings refer to the article, "Library of Congress Subject Headings for Environmental Sources" by Greta de Groat or the Science Tracer Bullet Online Subjec Heading List from the Library of Congress.

Reference and other Sources

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Journal Articles

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Identify them by using one of the following indexes/abstracts. Most electronic indexes are restricted to CSUS students, faculty, & staff. Once you have identified an interesting article, and know the name of the journal you want, use the Journal Title tab and/or the EUREKA Library Catalog to identify whether the journal is available in print or electronically. Instructions for off-campus access are available at Connecting to Library Databases from Off-Campus.

Electronic Indexes & Databases

  • AGRICOLA 
    Citation database from the National Agriculture Library. Slow search engine, use for agriculture topics.
  • BioAgrIndex (1983 - current) Citation index for all aspects of biology and agriculture. Not full text, but the library owns most of the journals indexed
  • Academic Search Premier
    Full text of over 1,000 journals in all subject areas. Good place to look for general information.
  • The Environment Index (1973-current)
    Included are citations to journals focusing on the full range of environmental topics, including scientific, technical, law and policy, socioeconomic, and popular titles from around the world.
  • CQ Library (1991-current)
    Once in the Library, choose CQ Researcher.  Contains in-depth reports of "hot issues." Full text from 1996. For policy, not the science.
  • Lexis-Nexis: Academic Universe
    Full text legal information plus hundreds of newspapers from around the world.
  • Science Direct  
    Searches over 1,000 journals in science, medicine and technology. Usually quite technical and mostly full text.
  • Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide (1935-current)
    Covers all aspects of wildlife management. Good for conservation issues and the science of how global warming is affecting wildlife.
  • Wiley Interscience (1996-current) Full text of ~300 science journals.

Internet Sites

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  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
    http://unfccc.int/2860.php
    Be sure to look at the "Essential Background" link which houses many important documents including the Kyoto Protocol, the participant's and signers.
  • Global Warming & Climate Change, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/tracer-bullets/globalwarmingtb.html
    From the Library of Congress, Science Reference Services. Great links and well organized. What else would you expect from Librarians?
  • Global Climate Change, U.S. Dept. of State
    http://www.state.gov/g/oes/climate/
  • EPA's Global Warming Site http://epa.gov/climatechange/index.html
    Good starting point for research, with basic explanation and many links.
  • U.S. Climate Action Report, The United States of America's Third National Communication Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/rpts/car/
  • Global Climate Change, reports of the Congressional Research Service
    Searchable database from the CRS. Includes background analysis, international actions and more.
  • Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, http://cdiac.ornl.gov/
    Analysis center for the U.S. Dept. of Energy for climate change data.
  • Climate Change: The Threat to Life and A New Energy Future – Exhibition from the American Museum of Natural History explores the science, history, and impact of climate change, and illuminates ways in which individuals, communities and nations can reduce their carbon footprints.
  • Cooperative Programme on Water and Climate
    http://www.waterandclimate.org/home.asp According to their mission statement, the dialogue is a "platform through which policymakers and water resources managers have better access to, and make better use of, information generated by climatologists and meteorologists. Member institutions include the IPCC, FAO, IUCN, International Water Assoc., Third World Water Forum and the World Water Council. Many reports available under the publications link.
  • Water and Climate Bibliography,
    http://www.pacinst.org/topics/global_change/water_bibliography/
    A searchable database of scientific literature maintained by the Pacific Institute pertaining to climate change and freshwater resources worldwide. Currently more than 3000 entries. Find relevant citations here and then use the Journal Title List or EUREKA to access the articles.
  • Coral Bleaching and Global Climate Change from the CRC Reef Research Centre Ltd http://www.science.org.au/nova/076/076key.htm
    From the Australian Academy of Science, this site aimed toward secondary teachers, has provided clear explanation of the issue along with a bibliography, links to activities,  and web sites.
  • Global Warming: Early Warning Signs
    http://www.climatehotmap.org/index.html
    Uses a map to show effects of global warming. A good place to get topics for papers.
  • Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions (2001)
    http://books.nap.edu/books/0309075742/html/  or 4 North QC 981.8 .C5 C55 2001 
    From the National Academies (of Science, Engineering and Medicine), Commission on Geosciences, Environment and Resources (CGER)
  • The Science of Ozone Depletion
     http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/
    From the EPA, this site has great background information and many links to scientific sites.
  • EarthTrends: the Environmental Information Portal
    http://earthtrends.wri.org/
    Contains several useful features, notably a searchable database, data tables and country profiles. Be sure to look at the "Climate and Atmosphere" section. The site is maintained by the World Resources Institute, with data from many organizations (listed under data providers).
  • CSEIN
    The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) was established in 1989 as an independent non-governmental organization to provide information that would help scientists, decision-makers, and the public better understand the changing relationship between human beings and the environment. Browse by subject for data, applications, and information on climate change.
  • The Carbon Cycle, Woods Hole Research Center
    http://www.whrc.org/science/carbon/carbon.htm
    Brief explanation along with graphics and links on how the carbon cycle works.
  • Guide to Resources & Research in Geology/Earth Sciences for CSUS students.
    http://library.csus.edu/guides/metzgerd/geology/webpage13.htm#climate
    Look for Climate Links and explanation to sites for weather data, mostly from NOAA.
  • US Climate Change Science Program, http://www.globalchange.gov/
    Has current US assessment plans.
  • RealClimate.Org http://www.realclimate.org
    A serious blog written by scientists.
  • Global Climate Change (University of Buffalo Libraries), by Fred Stoss
  • http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/environment/ecochange.html
    A well-organized set of links, some repeated above others new.
  • American Museum of Natural History

Acronyms, Abbreviations & Organizations

 Global Change Master Directory List of Earth Science Acronyms, Glossaries and Gazetteers/NASA
http://gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov/Resources/FAQs/acronyms.html
If you aren't sure where to begin, try the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center link.
CIESIN, Center for International Earth Science Information Network,http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/
 UNEP,  United Nations Environmental Program http://www.unep.org WMO, 
World Meterological Organization http://www.wmo.ch/index-en.html
IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change http://www.ipcc.ch/
NOAA, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, www.noaa.gov

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Send questions, comments or suggestions to: Deborah Metzger, Science Reference Librarian
 dm 6/30/03, rev. 2.25.08, 2.26.09   Last revised: 7.20.09