Michael Shellenberger

I couldn't give this 5 stars because it is missing what is, to me, perhaps the most important part: a non-catastrophizing description of climate change and trade-offs. I agree that much of the discussion has been politicized, with one side 'denying' climate change in almost any shape or form (outside of admitting that it exists, but that it doesn't actually matter), and one side increasingly unable to brook any dissent from the 'extinction' and '100% green renewables by 2030' lines (or else you are, ipso facto, a climate change denying right-wing nutjob).

Fine. And detailing how ridiculous much of the exaggeration is, and how damaging, and how neo-colonial, and how anti-science and etc. is very important (especially given the overlap with people who tend to claim loudly how opposed to all those things they are.)

But what about setting the record straight, or at least conveying what e.g. the IPCC consensus on "business as usual", progress at the current rate, etc. are? A couple of chapters laying that out, toward the end, would serve very well. Without it, the hints and suggestions sprinkled throughout the book as to what those are (or might be) are underwhelming and leaves the overall tone of the book closer to that of just yet another volley in the socio-political war that has eaten (along with everything else) discussion of climate change.… (mer)

An excellent book about how foolish many of today’s perceived “fixes” for climate change are and how they are doing more harm than good. Shellenberger is not a climate change “denier”. He is a strong environmentalist and has been most of his life; yet, through very detailed research and extraordinary documentation, he proves his case that we need to move to strong nuclear and hydroelectric sources of energy. Use of any other sources (fossil fuels, solar, wind) will not reduce but could make it worse, not better. Unfortunately, our news media and politicians do not understand these issues and continue to push foolish choices. So many of those that should read his book and truly research what he is saying, will condemn it or totally ignore it. Our “Green New Deal” is idiocy, and we will suffer the consequences – of course, our continuing to ruin the climate and cause additional climate change by following foolish paths pointed out by Shellenberger will simply be used by the news media and politicians to push for more spending on non-nuclear sources of energy. We cannot get where we need to get by relying on solar and wind.

If you care about climate change and the need to change our ways, read his book and then try to prove his arguments wrong.… (mer)