Provides an integrated assessment of issues related to climate variability and change, predictability and risks. This book details both the technical aspects of variability and abrupt climate change and the agricultural and economical impacts and consequences.

Introduction: Climate Variability, Predictability, and Climate Risks: A European Perspective (H. Wanner, M. Grosjean, R. Rothlisberger, E. Xoplaki).- Climate Variability - Observations, Reconstructions, and Model Simulations for the Atlantic-European and Alpine region from 1500-2100 AD (C. C. Raible, C. Casty, J. Luterbacher, A. Pauling, J. Esper, D. C. Frank, U. Buntgen, A. C. Roeschz, P. Tschuck, M. Wild, P.-L. Vidale, C. Schar, H. Wanner).- Challenges posed by and Approaches to the study of Seasonal-to-Decadal Climate Variability (C. Schwierz, C. Appenzeller, H. C. Davies, M. A. Liniger, W. Muller, T. F. Stocker, M. Yoshimori).- Global Warming and the Summertime Evapotranspiration Regime of the Alpine Region (P. Calanca, A. Rosch, K. Jasper, M. Wild).- Climate Risks and their Impact on Agriculture and Forests in Switzerland (J. Fuhrer, M. Beniston, A. Fischlin, Ch. Frei, S. Goyette, K. Jasper, Ch. Pfister).- The Coupling of Optimal Economic Growth and Climate Dynamics (O. Bahn, L. Drouet, N. R. Edwards, A. Haurie, R. Knutti, S. Kypreos, T. F. Stoker, J.-P. Vial).- Modeling Endogenous Learning and Imperfect Competition Effects in Climate Change Economics (L. Viguier, L. Barreto, A. Haurie, S. Kypreos, P. Rafaj).- Economics of Climate Policy and Collective Decision Making (B. Burgenmeier, A. Baranzini, C. Ferrier, C. Germond-Duret, K. Ingold, S. Perret, P. Rafaj, S. Kypreos, A. Wokaun)