Greta Thunberg needs no introduction. Known as the leader of a monolithic global movement, she has galvanised millions of young people to fight for climate justice. She became such a force to be reckoned with - after her Fridays for Future movement ignited a wave of global protests - that conservative think tank The Heartland Institute, renowned for its climate denial, attempted to push an "anti-Greta"; the American climate denial movement’s young girl from Germany (Germany and Sweden are pretty much the same to an average American) to regurgitate talking points we’ve all heard a million times but from old white men. Greta, on the other hand, has only become stronger over time and uses her platform to continue speaking truth to power, even in light of relentless attacks from conservatives and the financial behemoth that is the fossil fuel propaganda machine.
I have enormous respect for Greta for putting this book together as it provides a much-needed, sprawling overview of climate change, which involves so many overlapping disciplines across physical and social science spaces. The Climate Book takes the form of a collection of short essays on various climate-related topics, written by experts in their respective fields - many of those who I’m sure inspired Greta to take action. Just some of the topics covered include the role of methane and greenhouse gases besides CO2 in generating climate warming, the role of media in fuelling denialism (and how to reform the media), how the science of climate change has evolved, how climate change impacts different biomes and geographic regions, the social and economic ramifications of climate change, and an outline of the tools at our disposal to handle the crisis moving forward.
This book not only covers an enormous range of topics, it includes many familiar faces to those interested in climate change: world-leading researchers, activists, journalists, and innovators are all featured. While this breadth of topics covered comes at the expense of detail, I find it extremely useful as a resource to refamiliarise myself with any given topic written from a reliable source. For someone looking to understand the topic, but may find it an awkward subject to disentangle or even begin to learn, this book is a brilliant introduction. Accessibility is always needed to garner support for a movement, especially one steeped in so much disinformation, and this book delivers overwhelmingly.
Many of my favourite writers contribute to the book, including Margaret Atwood (which took me by surprise), whose essays are also among my favourites. David Wallace-Wells' piece about learning lessons from COVID in the fight against climate change was a noteworthy standout for me, as well as the topics related to nature-based solutions e.g. rewilding and protecting the oceans. These solutions are often overshadowed so it's refreshing to see them featured.
Throughout the book, Thunberg contributes her own essays to introduce broad themes explored in the following section. These are delivered in the blunt, brutally honest way that Thunberg is renowned for and what makes her so feared by the denial movement. I think she does a great job at controlling the flow and organisation through her own essays, alongside the placement and structuring of those by the other contributors. A book with so many co authors could easily fall into the trap of feeling disjointed and random, but The Climate Book can be read cover-to-cover or as a reference guide/brief introduction to a topic.
Greta Thunberg has put the clout she has gained over the past few years into use so well in gathering so many great researchers and helping to shine a light on issues and solutions that the media often buries. This is clearest during the final chapter of the book which explores the issue of climate injustice and the root causes of climate change: overconsumption and corporate greed. A lingering colonial hangover rooted in our culture and media has ensured that the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poorest nations, who are the least responsible for greenhouse emissions, hasn't been given much attention. Hopefully, this book ensures that more people are informed about placing climate change in its historical and socioeconomic context.
Because of the sheer volume of money pumped into the denial movement, environmental activists, who have far less to work with, must be far more efficient at producing accessible, accurate information. The Climate Book demonstrates how environmentalists can collectivise to communicate accurate, concise, and vital science to everyone.
List of my favourite essays featured in the book:
Why Didn't They Act by Naomi Oreskes
Methane and Other Gases by Zeke Hausfather
Insects by Dave Goulson
Soil by Jennifer L. Soong
How can we undo our failures if we are unable to admit that we have failed by Greta Thunberg
Designing New Food Systems by Sonja Vermeulen
Degrowth by Jason Hinkel
Rewilding by George Monbiot and Rebecca Wrigley
Practical Utopias by Margaret Atwood
Changing the Media Narrative by George Monbiot
Resisting the New Denialism by Michael Mann
Lessons from the Pandemic by David Wallace-Wells
Honesty, solidarity, integrity, and climate justice by Greta Thunberg
Decarbonisation Requires Redistribution by Lucas Chancel & Thomas Piketty
Climate Reparations by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò
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