The Climate Book

From the book cover:

“In the Climate Book, Greta Thunberg has gathered the wisdom of over 100 experts – geophysicists, oceanographers and meteorologists; engineers, economists and mathematicians; historians, philosophers and indigenous leaders – to equip us all with the knowledge we need to combat climate disaster.”

Notice Greta Thunberg is the creator but not the author of the book, though she made several contributions among those she has gathered from many others.

The book is divided into five sections: 1) How Climate Works; 2) How our Planet is Changing; 3) How it Affects Us; 4) What We’ve done about It: 5) What we must do Now. In each section, Greta summarizes and comments on what needs to be done to avert the climate disaster into which we seem to be rapidly heading. As usual, she does not hold back from frank critiques. For example, she does not like the term, ‘climate change,’ preferring instead ‘climate destabilization.’ But she does, in the last section, give justification for hope that we human beings will find a way to save the planet from disaster.

The average length of each author’s contribution is only about three pages, but the overall scope of information covered is quite extensive, covering the myriad of problems, considerations, causes, and solutions in trying to solve the climate crisis (terminology that most writers use).

Here are just a few insights. Karin Kvale reminded the reader that microplastics are derived from fossil fuel sources and add to CO2 buildup like any other fossil fuel usage. The accumulation of plastics in the ocean is well documented. Other authors warn about our reliance on plastic products. (You, like I, may try to avoid single use plastics, and find that it is nearly impossible to do. One author pointed out that among the most dangerous trends in accelerating the climate crisis are the melting of permafrost, which transfers CO2 to the atmosphere, and the thawing of undersea hydrates, which releases methane. “The world has a fever.” --Thunberg.  

The ideal goal of limiting temperature rise is unrealistic because most carbon emitting countries don’t want to change their ways or even report the real accumulation of carbon emitting activities.

Here are a few of my general take aways. The climate crisis is pitting rich northern climate countries against southern, poor, non-white countries, whose citizens pollute the least and are the most affected by climate change. Jason Hickel points out that human activity as such is less to blame for climate change than capitalism – the system where GDP growth and consumerism rules the lives of people. Several authors pointed out that it is our consumer mentality and refusal to spend and get by with less that drives climate change.  Corporations both encourage and provide for us all the stuff we crave but mostly don’t need. Knowing this, we need to pay more attention to human well-being rather than capital accumulation.

The last section of the book: What we must do Now, was disconcerting to me for this reason.  The solution to climate change rests, for the most part, with you and me.  Are the citizens of the world, especially in rich nations, willing to change our lifestyles, live with less, and become knowledgeable about what caring for the planet means? One author thought that love of the planet and others was more important than hope.  Greta suggested “Don’t look for hope. Create it.” 

Here is a personal take-away for me. I have been involved with climate change issues for a while, read about the problem, helped offer gatherings around the subject, and write book reviews to help others become informed. But Greta and the authors have left me with this insight. I need to become one of the thousands that are realizing that changing the way one lives, consumes and interacts with nature is the only real solution to the climate crisis.  I live in an energy star rated home; I recycle; use eco-friendly light fixtures; report to my lake association the quality of the lake water. Will all that matter when the planet warms beyond 1.2-2 degrees C?  If I can convince others, if caring for creation comes on their radar, and if I can try to influence politicians, and corporate leaders that it is a critical to do so, then maybe we have chance of not destroying the miraculous Earth home that sustains our lives, that sustains all life.

What about you?

John Hanson

Jesse Lake, Minnesota

NE MN Synod EcoFaith Leadership Team