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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This should be required reading for all politicians and people with power. It was an absolutely horrifying read but also very eye opening. I think most of us privileged westerners don’t think about the impending doom of the climate crisis daily because currently it is affecting the global south way more than us and despite western countries having caused most of the damage with the industrial revolution and the escalation of capitalism we like to pretend that it’s none of our concern that thousands/ millions of people are already dying of the consequences of the climate crisis and pollutions each year. This book very clearly showcases how ALL of our lives will be deeply affected within the next 10/20 years and how by 2050 our world will look like a dystopian scenario from a post apocalyptic film (in the best case scenario). So anyways what I’m trying to say if you’re still voting for parties that priorities capitalism over the environment or think that we will all be fine in the end anyways you should probably read this book.
This book explores basically every issue about climate change. From the different challenges we’ll face: droughts, food shortage, wars, increasing crime rate, pollution (air & water), diseases, fires, rising temperatures & sea levels, destruction of homes, displacement of people, economic destruction and so on. Almost every sentence in the first 2 parts were filled with statistics that illustrates to the reader how dire our situation is. Which made it a pretty depressing read.
A surprising addition to this book is Part 3 where the author explores more about human condition and our thinking- what can make us care about climate change? I thought it was an interesting attempt to try to understand our inactions to climate change by exploring lab studies done on human psychology.
One issue I had about this book was about the statistics and how the author chose to present the statistics. A case in point: in Part 2, where the author mentions the relationship between rape and rising temperatures: By 2099, climate change will bring about additional 22000 murders, one hundred and 80 thousand rapes. Correlation dosen’t mean causation and this statistic chosen by the author to show the impact of rising temperatures didn’t sit well with me. Yes, rising temperatures will have wide-ranging impacts but to say that it will cause an increase in the number of rapes? That left me feeling a tad bit puzzled.
However, I must say that the author did a good job of consolidating almost everything we know and are trying to do into this book. For anyone looking to read more into this pressing issue, this would be a great start.
A surprising addition to this book is Part 3 where the author explores more about human condition and our thinking- what can make us care about climate change? I thought it was an interesting attempt to try to understand our inactions to climate change by exploring lab studies done on human psychology.
One issue I had about this book was about the statistics and how the author chose to present the statistics. A case in point: in Part 2, where the author mentions the relationship between rape and rising temperatures: By 2099, climate change will bring about additional 22000 murders, one hundred and 80 thousand rapes. Correlation dosen’t mean causation and this statistic chosen by the author to show the impact of rising temperatures didn’t sit well with me. Yes, rising temperatures will have wide-ranging impacts but to say that it will cause an increase in the number of rapes? That left me feeling a tad bit puzzled.
However, I must say that the author did a good job of consolidating almost everything we know and are trying to do into this book. For anyone looking to read more into this pressing issue, this would be a great start.
4.5/5 really good if you don't and can't understand the science of climate change but really want to
Firstly, a quick note to my background: I'm an environmental scientist (toxicologist and analytical chemist), have a masters degree in environmental arts and humanities, and closely study and practice Druidry and Buddhism. I've been considering this content for awhile--and it is of utmost importance.
Wallace-Wells (WW) does an excellent job at researching the issues of climate change, and I'd liken this book to a condensed read in the background and many of the scholarls of my environmental studies coursework. I, along with other reviewers, don't find much trouble with his facts. But even as Wallace-Wells points out about his own book, it is alarmist, and the rhetoric and the way you write a book impacts what you can accomplish with that book. Regular alarmist journalism is not the ticket, and while I found the last two chapters the only ones with any particularly novel content, and they were a bit on the unfocused side in a book so focused on facts that I wonder where he got lost.
It's true that climate change is a big issue to tackle, like any complex system and paradigm of scholarly and practical importance. As WW tackles some of those metaphors for understanding the problem though, he lacks the nuance and close reading of any of them to come to any coherent position to leave anyone with a better concrete path than: we should probably do something, very soon, and keep hopeful.
We have to do significantly better than that.
WW mentions but could still do a bit better with tackling the issues of global capitalocene (mentioned, critiqued well even, but still not nearly in depth enough to my mind) and issues of environmental justice (and present and pending ecofacsism). While he published before COVID, that remains a globalization and climate change effect, more attention could be paid to BLM issues and the grave inequities that climate change costs the global south (for lack of better terms). Perhaps more specifically, these, along with other stats that I only hope are more referancable in the book (I listened to audiobook) leave one with a sense of the dire problems but not much energy to do anything afterwards.
It's been pointed out numerous times in my program and learning everywhere that even to shock people into the dire issues of climate change will not produce any significant or needed changes. It hadn't worked before. The only reason some of it is gaining traction now is because real people are being affected and displaced here and now. The rhetoric of what to do with alarming statistics should have been realized by WW much better.
I'm hoping to follow this up with This Land by Eric Holthaus (also referenced by the above), continue to suggest a more Latourian perspective with Down to Earth, and I think Naomi Klein does a better job with the active engagement that we should all aspire to.
Wallace-Wells (WW) does an excellent job at researching the issues of climate change, and I'd liken this book to a condensed read in the background and many of the scholarls of my environmental studies coursework. I, along with other reviewers, don't find much trouble with his facts. But even as Wallace-Wells points out about his own book, it is alarmist, and the rhetoric and the way you write a book impacts what you can accomplish with that book. Regular alarmist journalism is not the ticket, and while I found the last two chapters the only ones with any particularly novel content, and they were a bit on the unfocused side in a book so focused on facts that I wonder where he got lost.
It's true that climate change is a big issue to tackle, like any complex system and paradigm of scholarly and practical importance. As WW tackles some of those metaphors for understanding the problem though, he lacks the nuance and close reading of any of them to come to any coherent position to leave anyone with a better concrete path than: we should probably do something, very soon, and keep hopeful.
We have to do significantly better than that.
WW mentions but could still do a bit better with tackling the issues of global capitalocene (mentioned, critiqued well even, but still not nearly in depth enough to my mind) and issues of environmental justice (and present and pending ecofacsism). While he published before COVID, that remains a globalization and climate change effect, more attention could be paid to BLM issues and the grave inequities that climate change costs the global south (for lack of better terms). Perhaps more specifically, these, along with other stats that I only hope are more referancable in the book (I listened to audiobook) leave one with a sense of the dire problems but not much energy to do anything afterwards.
It's been pointed out numerous times in my program and learning everywhere that even to shock people into the dire issues of climate change will not produce any significant or needed changes. It hadn't worked before. The only reason some of it is gaining traction now is because real people are being affected and displaced here and now. The rhetoric of what to do with alarming statistics should have been realized by WW much better.
I'm hoping to follow this up with This Land by Eric Holthaus (also referenced by the above), continue to suggest a more Latourian perspective with Down to Earth, and I think Naomi Klein does a better job with the active engagement that we should all aspire to.
For those interested in what climate change will likely look in the future this book is a great read. The first portion of the book focuses on the many challenges which a few degrees of warming will cause and even though a reader likely won't retain many of the statistics, it creates the feeling of urgency and dread that are necessary to convince others of the devastating effects climate change will have. The last few chapters, focused on nonscientific aspects of climate change (such as media, literature, and policy), were definitely weaker and slower than the rest of the book.
the only reason it took me so long to finish this book is because I am lazy and it was depressing. otherwise, i think this book is extremely well researched and effectively analyzes every single way climate change will impact the world. it felt dystopian in a way and was extremely disheartening with a side of climate anxiety. the writing was easy to navigate despite the complicated science, and would be a great overall introduction to climate change. my only critique would be the author's discouragement, and outright personal refusal, to commit to personal change.
This was so very, very bleak. However it's necessary reading and discussion fodder about the catastrophic effects climate change could have within our lifetimes. The prospects are nothing short of frightening
Men det finns även en annan möjlig förskjutning, som rent av är trolig - och kanske ännu mer tragisk för att den är så uppenbart rimlig: att de flesta av våra reflexer när vi ställs inför mänskliga prövningar går i motsatt riktning, mot acklimatisering