The volume "Observed Global Climate" comprises a set of climate budget quantities, relevant for atmosphere and ocean (the "climate fluids") as well as for land and ice (the "climate solids"). Examples for budget quantities are temperature, salinity, wind, rain, radiation. They are displayed in standardised form for all climate subsystems.

The data are arranged around the budget principle which is basic for the entire climate system. The book demonstrates that budgeting is not only a useful principle but also that "budget-thinking" has practically become state of the art in modern...