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In less than a generation, the polar ice cap has already melted this much:

This NASA image shows the extent of sea ice in 1979 and 2005. Northern polar ice rests on water, so it does not raise sea levels like Antartic ice does as it melts. However, shrinking glaciers on nearby Greenland do raise ocean levels.

The dangers of global warming are even more well-documented now, ever since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued their report (link opens in a new window). Much of the information was not new: scientists have been making such predictions for years, and the scenario they present is in fact what World Without Winter is based on. I spent a lot of time researching the greenhouse effect to make sure the book would be accurate, and discovered something others may have overlooked. Few people are aware that the former Soviet Union dumped huge amounts of radioactive waste in the Arctic which is already beginning to be uncovered the ice cap melts: a toxic time bomb poised to go off as the climate continues to warm. Though many such sites are scattered across Siberia, I focused on one of the most menacing ones: the area around the Kara Sea and the island of Novaya Zemlya (links open in new windows). The Russian nuclear industry was very sloppy during the cold war, but they were not alone—the Americans were as well. The residents around Hanford, Washington (new window) will attest to that. But the Russians assumed their waste dumps would always remain frozen. This is where the story begins:

“In a future transformed by Global Warming, ice caps recede to reveal a deadly menace: radioactive waste dumped decades ago in the Arctic by the former Soviet Union has begun leaching into the ocean. One man’s past holds the secret that could contain the threat, but he must make a daring journey through time to retrieve it. Can he save the planet from this new peril, or does it mean the end of a World Without Winter?” ©
 But this is by no means the only challenge future generations will be forced to face. Global warming is poised to change our social, economic, and political climates as well. Some of this will be positive, since greater international cooperation will be needed to grapple with a problem of this magnitude, it will give the world’s peoples an opportunity to unite like never before—though that will not be achieved without its share of skirmishes. Nonetheless, national borders will quickly become blurred when hordes of refugees head for higher ground. The image below shows how just one region, South Florida, would be affected by rising sea levels. Every coastline in the world will look like this:


  South Florida is home to millions of people . . .
This image, courtesy NASA/JPL/NGA, depicts only a moderate rise in sea level—a mere 10% of polar ice melt. If both ice caps and the world’s glaciers were to melt, sea levels would about 80 meters—250 feet—higher.
   But where will they all live if we fail to act?

An ominous image, but it’s still hard to bring that down to a human scale. That’s why I wrote World Without Winter. I believe it is of the utmost importance that everyone understand just how great a threat Global Warming poses to the future of our civilization. Since the very term we use to describe the phenomena seems the antithesis of the personal, I thought the best way to illustrate the human element was to take the reader on a hypothetical journey through the life of someone who had already lived through it. So essentially, I’ve taken a scientific theory (though most agree it’s now a fact) and made it into an epic adventure.

I’m not the first author to use science fiction to illustrate where current trends lead. Classic examples include George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. But my favorite prophetic work of science fiction is Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Like my book, The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in a future world transformed by pollution, and there’s also a gay character in Atwood’s book—Moira, a lesbian—who faces conflict with an authoritarian regime. World Without Winter also features a gay character’s conflict with a more militarized government, and I can only hope its message will be as well received at Atwood’s was. Though written in 1985, the themes she presents are every bit as relevant today. In 1990, her book was made into an award-winning Hollywood movie. I’d highly recommend both the film and the book. You can follow the links below to order your own copies, and you can also order a copy of World Without Winter while you’re there.

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You can find similar links to get a copy of World Without Winter here


World Without Winter Main Page (image: NASA)
About the book Read an excerpt Where you'll find it
About the author News & Reviews Stop global warming
Discuss the issues Links of interest Contact the author