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958 reviews for:
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
Bill Gates
3.97 AVERAGE
958 reviews for:
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
Bill Gates
3.97 AVERAGE
Timely read coinciding with the Supreme Court screwing us over by crippling the EPA.
Great comprehensive look at the core segments and industries that contribute to global emissions. It sorts out fact from fiction, and explores aspects of where we stand as at 2020 and what potential changes and solutions are needed in the future.
Only additional comment: I would have liked more of an in depth look at why solar geoengineering and solar radiation management aren't feasible solutions, and why it is only reserved as "emergency" options. It seems like a straightforward solution, but the issues/challenges of it aren't explored deeply in the book.
Only additional comment: I would have liked more of an in depth look at why solar geoengineering and solar radiation management aren't feasible solutions, and why it is only reserved as "emergency" options. It seems like a straightforward solution, but the issues/challenges of it aren't explored deeply in the book.
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
the author is a technologist through and through and that comes through in every chapter. this book is wholly focused on summarising the climate tech that exists, should exist, and how they need funding / access through the coordinated efforts of the government and the private sector.
this book is also meant for the general public, for readers ranging from policymakers to industry professionals to everyday people.
if we keep these two points in mind, i think the author did a good job with the book. i found the early chapters informative and his writing style’s readable and digestible throughout it. however, i struggled with the second half of the book, once he started writing about potential solutions. it’s why it took me so long to finish it. the takeaways from reading the second half weren’t substantial.
this is because writing about climate technologies for the general audience also meant that detailing a journey to net-zero was very conceptual. high-level. but climate action has to be specific to each country/city for it to be effective. case in point: bill gates had to describe his proposal for attaining net-zero in the context of the US government in the end, and his proposal for individual action in the final chapter assumes the individual lives in a first-world country with a functioning democracy. i don’t think political action’s going to go over well otherwise.
i’m also surprised that, in the policy-related chapters, he did not touch on climate disclosures, target setting, etc. including how they work and how legislation in this area drives demand for climate tech and innovation. instead, he wrote a lot about how governments should set up carbon pricing and issue standards for clean energy, but even so, the details are sparse. i’m assuming he’s not super familiar with these topics.
i also wonder what he’d say given the state of US politics in 2025. the book was released during Covid; his references to the state of affairs in 2021 made me nostalgic. his proposal to reaching net-zero depends on the government functioning. but what happens when one can’t count on that? when corruption’s and misinformation’s abound, and citizens act out of ignorance and tribal identities and hate? tech is but a small piece of this climate change problem — and i think the author’s aware.
still, i think this is a good starting point for learning about climate change. readers from any background can select topics of interest based on this book and explore additional books delving into a specific issue, piece of tech or societal context. “how to avoid a climate disaster” mentions the complexities of climate action (e.g. the marginalised are more greatly affected by climate disasters, standard of living is proportionate to the amount of emissions we generate, reaching net-zero by 2050 is a different pathway from reaching it by 2030) but a meatier discussion will need to be found elsewhere.
one additional thing i was not a fan of: bill gates pulling numbers out of nowhere 😂 the book is full of numbers like $18 million or $4 million. maybe it’s the scientist/researcher in me, but i can’t handle seeing the lack of citations for wherever these values came from.
this book is also meant for the general public, for readers ranging from policymakers to industry professionals to everyday people.
if we keep these two points in mind, i think the author did a good job with the book. i found the early chapters informative and his writing style’s readable and digestible throughout it. however, i struggled with the second half of the book, once he started writing about potential solutions. it’s why it took me so long to finish it. the takeaways from reading the second half weren’t substantial.
this is because writing about climate technologies for the general audience also meant that detailing a journey to net-zero was very conceptual. high-level. but climate action has to be specific to each country/city for it to be effective. case in point: bill gates had to describe his proposal for attaining net-zero in the context of the US government in the end, and his proposal for individual action in the final chapter assumes the individual lives in a first-world country with a functioning democracy. i don’t think political action’s going to go over well otherwise.
i’m also surprised that, in the policy-related chapters, he did not touch on climate disclosures, target setting, etc. including how they work and how legislation in this area drives demand for climate tech and innovation. instead, he wrote a lot about how governments should set up carbon pricing and issue standards for clean energy, but even so, the details are sparse. i’m assuming he’s not super familiar with these topics.
i also wonder what he’d say given the state of US politics in 2025. the book was released during Covid; his references to the state of affairs in 2021 made me nostalgic. his proposal to reaching net-zero depends on the government functioning. but what happens when one can’t count on that? when corruption’s and misinformation’s abound, and citizens act out of ignorance and tribal identities and hate? tech is but a small piece of this climate change problem — and i think the author’s aware.
still, i think this is a good starting point for learning about climate change. readers from any background can select topics of interest based on this book and explore additional books delving into a specific issue, piece of tech or societal context. “how to avoid a climate disaster” mentions the complexities of climate action (e.g. the marginalised are more greatly affected by climate disasters, standard of living is proportionate to the amount of emissions we generate, reaching net-zero by 2050 is a different pathway from reaching it by 2030) but a meatier discussion will need to be found elsewhere.
one additional thing i was not a fan of: bill gates pulling numbers out of nowhere 😂 the book is full of numbers like $18 million or $4 million. maybe it’s the scientist/researcher in me, but i can’t handle seeing the lack of citations for wherever these values came from.
Honestly this book was much more optimistic than I was expecting.
It was a pretty easy to read yet nuanced intro to the climate change problem. He explains what the real issues are, why they are more complex then most public debates make them seem, and what everyday people can do (personal reduction is really low on this list).
He also does a good job of acknowledging many of the socio economic factors that complicate our attempts to avoid a climate change disaster. One example is his clear acknowledgment that one reason for rising emissions is rising quality of life for people across the globe, and that their quality of life is important too.
It was a pretty easy to read yet nuanced intro to the climate change problem. He explains what the real issues are, why they are more complex then most public debates make them seem, and what everyday people can do (personal reduction is really low on this list).
He also does a good job of acknowledging many of the socio economic factors that complicate our attempts to avoid a climate change disaster. One example is his clear acknowledgment that one reason for rising emissions is rising quality of life for people across the globe, and that their quality of life is important too.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
content matter is amazing. well researched. digestible.
but, i had a really hard time listening to a lot of what he had to say. it’s hard to take someone seriously who puts the climate crisis blame onto the consumer when he has a massive carbon footprint on his own. it just seemed narrow sided and unfair. look in the mirror. he did mention that this is something that he is working on but, with his resources, it just shouldn’t be happening. if you are writing a book on this topic, you need to lead by example.
but, i had a really hard time listening to a lot of what he had to say. it’s hard to take someone seriously who puts the climate crisis blame onto the consumer when he has a massive carbon footprint on his own. it just seemed narrow sided and unfair. look in the mirror. he did mention that this is something that he is working on but, with his resources, it just shouldn’t be happening. if you are writing a book on this topic, you need to lead by example.
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
informative
medium-paced
Putting aside all the issues with Bill Gates, this is a great, concise, and informative look into the most important issue in our world today.
I loved this book and I love Bill Gates. Prior to reading, I knew climate change was bad and wanted to do my part in advocating for reform and making better choices in my own life, but I really didn’t understand all the complexities. This book broke it down in an easily digestible way while laying out the paths to successfully avoiding climate disaster. I feel so much more informed as well as more optimistic that we can get our shit together to work out this problem. Thanks Bill!