Now that I am approaching my 92nd year, it seems appropriate that I should quote the words of Walter Cronkite of CBS  fame, whose absolute commitment and reputation for objectivity always signed off his 6pm news bulletin with ..." And that's the way it is". 

With so much information and misinformation about the climate story, perhaps the words of Cronkite should be a reminder to us all, including our decision makers and the media, that the sun, the volcanoes, and the oceans dominate the climate system. 

Of course, now that we are through the 20th and into the 21st century, one must acknowledge the important human (including domestic animals) influence on the climate system. However one must also acknowledge that prior to about 1800, the climate variations which occurred (and there were many of them), were not - with very few exceptions - influenced by the activities of humans.

There is a great amount of evidence about detecting changes in the climate, and many reasons/causes of why the climate changes. 

Among the evidence for detecting climate change are instrumental records which include satellite observations, extreme weather events, historical records (eg crop records, church attendance), sea level changes, lake varves, glacial advances and retreats, ice cores, rocks, and tree rings.

Among the causes of why the climate changes is methane, carbon dioxide, solar activity - including sunspots, the Earth's orbit and rotation, the Earth's reflectivity, volcanic activity, ocean circulation, generating power, using transportation, producing food, heating and cooling of buildings, planetary cycles (e.g. Milankovitch cycles), and the ever increasing world's population.

In considering both the evidence for climate change and the causes of climate change, there are many questions as to the credibility of the "evidence". Some of this "credibility" relates to the reliability of the records, and this includes the "authority" making the observations. There have been many cases where the evidence for and the causes of climate change have been challenged.

I have spent the last 70 years studying and writing, as objectively as I can, about the evidence, causes and impacts of climate and climate change. I have written this book to summarise what I have learned. And, like Walter Cronkite, I would like to sign off with the assurance that, to the best of my knowledge, “And that's the way it is”.

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FOREWORD ( to the First Edition) by John Zillman AO FAA FTSE Former Director (1978-2003) of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and Former President (1995-2003) of the World Meteorological Organization

There are probably few people in the world who have originated and accumulated as much detailed knowledge of as many different shades of climate as John Maunder. He is a font of wisdom on climate matters and I believe he has served the world extremely well over the past 50 years through the way he has shared that knowledge and wisdom with the global community.  ......