The Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next December will be one of the most important international gatherings since the Second World War. Nicholas Stern gives a compelling account of why the meeting matters so much to the world, and outlines a global deal that would provide the ground rules for a safer planet. His book reinforces the arguments of the original Stern Review, and provides a forceful response to its critics

The Stern Review led the way in explaining the economic theory of climate change. His Blueprint sets out in practical terms why the world needs to act, what we need to do, and how, if we take action, we can build a new era of prosperity and growth.

The book is written for a wider audience than the official report and incorporates some more recent (and worrying) findings from climate science.

Despite his gloomy predictions Lord Stern's overall argument is one of optimism

If this year's climate crucial climate change negotiations are successful, this book will be required reading ... Lord Stern, like Al Gore, could be seen as one of the rock stars of global warming.

The planet owes Nicholas Stern a big thank you...valuable and combative stuff.

A terrific story of competitive bickering, intrigue, damaged reputations and unacknowledged contributions- It is also wonderfully written- an ideal primer

Marvellous and comprehensive

There are few better introductions than this

A wonderful book- [which] bears favourable comparison with Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent of Man.

James Watson-is one of the greatest living biologists- [His] new book is an important event, for he is a scintillating writer

James Watson has been an eyewitness to each revolution in molecular biology, from the double helix to the genome. He sees further and clearer than anybody else in the field. Give this fabulously good book to anybody who wants to understand what all the excitement is about

Gabriel Weston's story succeeds better than any I have known...more riveting and thought-provoking than any fiction

Glinting like a tray of instruments, her prose is satisfyingly precise

A curiously thrilling read, written with an elegance heightened by its clarity and economy

A valuable and unflinching account, since it so clearly tells the truth

This book is mesmerising

Her description of the struggle to remain individual and hence moral is her real achievement. This, to me, is what female writing has to do, and she does it with style and humour and beauty

This much appreciated book should be a must-read for everyone who likes to travel, and should be translated into the languages of the world's tourism champions. It should also be a must-read for politicians and decision makers in development agencies to finally understand that tourism has lost the 'virginity' of a harmless leisure sector to develop into a dangerous global driving force which needs to be regulated and restricted.