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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
really great book on climate change but i grew quickly exhausted by the incorrect characterizations of china and xi jinping. it’s like all recently published texts have ramped up anti-china commentary and it’s insufferable. luckily it was only a tiny portion of the book, the rest of it was really great and necessary info.
This is the Silent Spring of our era. If reading this book won't make you care about climate change, probably nothing will short of you being personally displaced as a climate refugee.
The overarching thesis of The Uninhabitable Earth is that climate change models and the general scientific consensus, which have been alarming in their own right are actually much more conservative than we realize. Therefore, we are actually headed for a worst case scenario. Not only does David Wallace-Wells create a thorough and convincing argument for that, but the latest IPCC report paints a similar picture. This was published in Feb 2019, citing studies and reports before the latest IPCC report.
The Uninhabitable Earth is terrifying. There is a lot of research done on how to communicate climate change with the public and how "Day After Tomorrow Style" reporting paralyzes people instead of encouraging them to act. I believe Wallace-Wells combats this slightly by including some fairly hopeful opinions. While he does make the point that if climate change continues unmitigated, we are headed towards a definite economic collapse as there is not even enough money in circulation globally to cover the damage of climate change, he also still chose to have a child (his daughter was born while writing this book) and says he is excited for her and her generation at what might be possible. The Uninhabitable Earth doesn't have a policy prescription or recommendations for the consumer, but he offers hope in another way. "The fight is definitively, not lost yet -- in fact will never be lost, so long as we avoid extinction, because however warm the planet gets, it will always be the case that the decade that follows could contain even more suffering or less."
The overarching thesis of The Uninhabitable Earth is that climate change models and the general scientific consensus, which have been alarming in their own right are actually much more conservative than we realize. Therefore, we are actually headed for a worst case scenario. Not only does David Wallace-Wells create a thorough and convincing argument for that, but the latest IPCC report paints a similar picture. This was published in Feb 2019, citing studies and reports before the latest IPCC report.
The Uninhabitable Earth is terrifying. There is a lot of research done on how to communicate climate change with the public and how "Day After Tomorrow Style" reporting paralyzes people instead of encouraging them to act. I believe Wallace-Wells combats this slightly by including some fairly hopeful opinions. While he does make the point that if climate change continues unmitigated, we are headed towards a definite economic collapse as there is not even enough money in circulation globally to cover the damage of climate change, he also still chose to have a child (his daughter was born while writing this book) and says he is excited for her and her generation at what might be possible. The Uninhabitable Earth doesn't have a policy prescription or recommendations for the consumer, but he offers hope in another way. "The fight is definitively, not lost yet -- in fact will never be lost, so long as we avoid extinction, because however warm the planet gets, it will always be the case that the decade that follows could contain even more suffering or less."
Essential reading for every human living on planet Earth. A shocking and clear eyed account of the world that awaits us. Delves into the aspects of climate change that don't immediately jump to mind, but will have a profound effect on all humans in the coming years. I can't recommend this enough.
It is an overview of the possible outcomes. This is a good place to start if you want an good big picture of the problem so you can whittle down all the things to what you think is the important focus for your activism.
Audiobook is read by the author.
Audiobook is read by the author.
Väga raske ja ülivajalik lugemine. Raske oma keelekasutuselt, stiililt, faktitiheduselt, kuivuselt. Samas, kui maailmas on mõni raamat, mida ma tahaksin, et kõik loeksid, on see praegu vist see. Olla ainus oma tutvuskonnas, kes seda on lugenud, on valus ja raske ja jõuetu.
Autor kirjeldab täiesti emotsioonitult ja faktipõhiselt kliimasoojenemise praegust kulgu ja käib läbi erinevate globaalse temperatuuri tõusmise stsenaariumide mõju inimesele. Ta ütleb, et pole ise "loodusinimene" ja ka raamat keskendub üksnes ja ainult neile tagajärgedele, mida peavad inimesed liigina kõige vahetumalt taluma. Nälg, veepuudus, sõjad, tormid, metsapõlengud, mereveetaseme tõus, majanduslikud kahjud, isegi argipäeva isikliku tasandi ärritused ja konfliktid kasvavad kuumusega. Minu arvates on siit nii mõndagi võtta nii kliimamurelikel kui kliimaskeptikutel.
Kliimaskeptikud heidavad alati ette, et senised ennustused pole olnud piisavalt täpsed või et see kõik on vaid prognoos ja tegelikku tulevikku ei tea keegi. Autor annab kurva ülevaate ka teadlastest, kelle elukutse on neid prognoose teha ja kirjeldab nende sisemist võitlust tõe avaldamise ja soovi vahel mitte saada süüdistatud häirekella löömises ja paanika tekitamises. Seepärast, toob autor välja, on teadlaste prognoosid olnud aastakümneid kordades tagasihoidlikumad kui võib olla tegelik tulevik. Kliimasoojenemise prognoosid, mis välja öeldakse, on alati kõige konservatiivsem ennustus, milles kõik teadlased kokku suudavad leppida. Seda arvesse võttes on kohutavalt masendav, et leidub siiani inimesi, kes korrutavad mantrana, et kõik teadlased ei ole ikkagi üksmeelel, kas kliimasoojenemine on inimtekkeline või mitte, ja et enne kui 100% neist pole üht meelt, pole põhjust midagi ette võtta.
Autor käib igal juhul raamatu jooksul läbi erinevad prognoosid - nii kõige konservatiivsemad kui kõige häirivamad. Iga kord nendib ta, et optimistlike stsenaariumide uskumiseks pole senist inimajaloo kulgu ja tegevust arvestades vähimatki põhjust, kuid isegi nende järgi oleme sügavas pigis. Mingil moel - mulle jäi ausalt öeldes arusaamatuks, kuidas - on autor tuleviku osas siiski optimistlik. Ta kirjeldab inimesi, kes tõmbuvad eemale kogu sotsiaalsest elust ja asuvad elama erakuna, valmistudes maailmalõpuks, sest nad lihtsalt ei suuda ähvardava maailmalõputundega elada. Endal tekkis raamatut lugedes pisut sarnane tunne ja kiusatus. See on loomulik, kui faktidele otsa vaadata. Aga see ei ole produktiivne. Autor kutsub produktiivsusele, kuigi lahendusi on raamatus pakutud väga vähe. Ülevaatliku olukorrakirjeldusena on raamat see-eest imeline.
Autor kirjeldab täiesti emotsioonitult ja faktipõhiselt kliimasoojenemise praegust kulgu ja käib läbi erinevate globaalse temperatuuri tõusmise stsenaariumide mõju inimesele. Ta ütleb, et pole ise "loodusinimene" ja ka raamat keskendub üksnes ja ainult neile tagajärgedele, mida peavad inimesed liigina kõige vahetumalt taluma. Nälg, veepuudus, sõjad, tormid, metsapõlengud, mereveetaseme tõus, majanduslikud kahjud, isegi argipäeva isikliku tasandi ärritused ja konfliktid kasvavad kuumusega. Minu arvates on siit nii mõndagi võtta nii kliimamurelikel kui kliimaskeptikutel.
Kliimaskeptikud heidavad alati ette, et senised ennustused pole olnud piisavalt täpsed või et see kõik on vaid prognoos ja tegelikku tulevikku ei tea keegi. Autor annab kurva ülevaate ka teadlastest, kelle elukutse on neid prognoose teha ja kirjeldab nende sisemist võitlust tõe avaldamise ja soovi vahel mitte saada süüdistatud häirekella löömises ja paanika tekitamises. Seepärast, toob autor välja, on teadlaste prognoosid olnud aastakümneid kordades tagasihoidlikumad kui võib olla tegelik tulevik. Kliimasoojenemise prognoosid, mis välja öeldakse, on alati kõige konservatiivsem ennustus, milles kõik teadlased kokku suudavad leppida. Seda arvesse võttes on kohutavalt masendav, et leidub siiani inimesi, kes korrutavad mantrana, et kõik teadlased ei ole ikkagi üksmeelel, kas kliimasoojenemine on inimtekkeline või mitte, ja et enne kui 100% neist pole üht meelt, pole põhjust midagi ette võtta.
Autor käib igal juhul raamatu jooksul läbi erinevad prognoosid - nii kõige konservatiivsemad kui kõige häirivamad. Iga kord nendib ta, et optimistlike stsenaariumide uskumiseks pole senist inimajaloo kulgu ja tegevust arvestades vähimatki põhjust, kuid isegi nende järgi oleme sügavas pigis. Mingil moel - mulle jäi ausalt öeldes arusaamatuks, kuidas - on autor tuleviku osas siiski optimistlik. Ta kirjeldab inimesi, kes tõmbuvad eemale kogu sotsiaalsest elust ja asuvad elama erakuna, valmistudes maailmalõpuks, sest nad lihtsalt ei suuda ähvardava maailmalõputundega elada. Endal tekkis raamatut lugedes pisut sarnane tunne ja kiusatus. See on loomulik, kui faktidele otsa vaadata. Aga see ei ole produktiivne. Autor kutsub produktiivsusele, kuigi lahendusi on raamatus pakutud väga vähe. Ülevaatliku olukorrakirjeldusena on raamat see-eest imeline.
A sobering book that really makes you think about climate change and the effect that we're all having on the planet. It made me realise that our actions on an individual level are probably the least important part of all this.
I'm not sure what I expected but the second section got a little too philosophical for me at times, although clearly the author is very well read.
I'm not sure what I expected but the second section got a little too philosophical for me at times, although clearly the author is very well read.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
This is really heavy on the statistics. The second part of the book gets into some context. It was a little hard to take in so many stats, and I needed more context / analysis. I imagine, though, that part of the idea is to provide the hard data and leave it to the reader to interpret/research.
My only issue with this book is that more than two thirds is just a barrage of numbers, statistics and figures (nongraphical). It's almost like reading a phonebook which at times made it difficult to stay motivated to finish. However towards the end David does go into some interesting philosophy on ethical issues that may potentially come up in a most uninhabitable earth and he does reflect on the recent populist authoritarian movement and comes up with interest comments on the current agenda.
“We all lived for money, and that is what we died for.”
I very much enjoyed this book, even if I didn't always agree with the method of delivery. The focus on worst case scenarios and also dubious statistics can be overwhelming but in my opinion this is rightly so- the truth lies somewhere in the middle yet is every bit as devastatingly frightening. I perhaps might have preferred the author stick as well to hard facts, a passage about 'guilt saturates the planet’s air' is springing to mind. Reliance on hyperbole I feel dilutes the overall message and can further embolden a worldwide trend to ignore the ugly truth- that this is indeed happening, faster even than we imagined or predicted and it is all our fault. To quote Wallace-Wells, 'And yet now, just as the need for...cooperation is paramount, indeed necessary for anything like the world we know to survive, we are only unbuilding...alliances— recoiling into nationalistic corners and retreating from collective responsibility and from each other.' I only hope that we and future generations see sense before it is too late.
I very much enjoyed this book, even if I didn't always agree with the method of delivery. The focus on worst case scenarios and also dubious statistics can be overwhelming but in my opinion this is rightly so- the truth lies somewhere in the middle yet is every bit as devastatingly frightening. I perhaps might have preferred the author stick as well to hard facts, a passage about 'guilt saturates the planet’s air' is springing to mind. Reliance on hyperbole I feel dilutes the overall message and can further embolden a worldwide trend to ignore the ugly truth- that this is indeed happening, faster even than we imagined or predicted and it is all our fault. To quote Wallace-Wells, 'And yet now, just as the need for...cooperation is paramount, indeed necessary for anything like the world we know to survive, we are only unbuilding...alliances— recoiling into nationalistic corners and retreating from collective responsibility and from each other.' I only hope that we and future generations see sense before it is too late.