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jshepard 's review for:
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming
by David Wallace-Wells
I have mixed feelings about this book. It does a very good job of listing current scholarship regarding the expected and potential impact of climate change during the 21st century. Not surprisingly, the outlook is grim. Much of what he outlines is relatively common knowledge but he does put some good statistics to flesh out the problems. I did learn a few things, though, e.g. concrete production is the second largest industry in terms of carbon emissions.
However, he does not propose any solutions. There are many Cassandras who publishing dire warnings about the future of the planet. Proposed solutions, though, are rare. Screeds that warn of our doomed future have not seemed to galvanize public action. Pollution in general and carbon emissions in particular are classic examples of negative externalities (aka "the tragedy of the commons"). Market economies can't correct for externalities without government assistance. implementing proper incentives are the key to reducing the negative impact from climate change. Rather than more jeremiads, I would prefer to read books that focus on objective cost/benefit analysis and how we create incentives to move the globe to a better future outcome.
Also, like so many other books about climate change, this book seems to cherry pick its data to present a more alarming forecast in order to galvanize action. The author does a better job of being objective than most other articles and books I have read but I believe he still overstates the case. I think past exaggeration of the impact of climate change has backfired by reducing scientific credibility in the eyes of the general public.
Understanding climate change is a topic I am going to focus on this year. In addition, I am committed to take personal action. In particular, I am going to take action to reduce fossil fuel subsidies and to initiate a national carbon tax.
However, he does not propose any solutions. There are many Cassandras who publishing dire warnings about the future of the planet. Proposed solutions, though, are rare. Screeds that warn of our doomed future have not seemed to galvanize public action. Pollution in general and carbon emissions in particular are classic examples of negative externalities (aka "the tragedy of the commons"). Market economies can't correct for externalities without government assistance. implementing proper incentives are the key to reducing the negative impact from climate change. Rather than more jeremiads, I would prefer to read books that focus on objective cost/benefit analysis and how we create incentives to move the globe to a better future outcome.
Also, like so many other books about climate change, this book seems to cherry pick its data to present a more alarming forecast in order to galvanize action. The author does a better job of being objective than most other articles and books I have read but I believe he still overstates the case. I think past exaggeration of the impact of climate change has backfired by reducing scientific credibility in the eyes of the general public.
Understanding climate change is a topic I am going to focus on this year. In addition, I am committed to take personal action. In particular, I am going to take action to reduce fossil fuel subsidies and to initiate a national carbon tax.