Climate change is more and more considered to be a major global environmental risk. The above mentioned conference was the concluding part of a new programme organized in The Netherlands with a view to stimulating participation of Dutch scientists in the international research effort concerning the problem of climate change. The proceedings of the Maastricht Conference on Climate Change Research cover a wide range of subjects including: & ast; key note papers of internationally leading scientists on relevant aspects of the climate problem & ast; assessments of NRP-research on the climate system, the causes of potential change in the system, the possible effects and consequences of climate change, and alternative responses (including technological and/or social) that are considered within the context of sustainable development & ast; short papers of the NRP- and related projects with final conclusions per project This book will be of value to anyone professionally interested in the various aspects of climate change research and policy.