The Climate Book summary

We've known about climate change for a long time now, but it seems like we're just not doing enough to tackle it. However, there's hope. In Canada's response to past emergencies like World War II, we can see four markers that show when a government has truly shifted into emergency mode. And, well, let's just say that when it comes to climate change, our government isn't hitting any of these markers. 

First, when we're in an emergency, governments need to spend what it takes to win. During World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada spent big bucks to get things done. But when it comes to climate action, the government is barely spending anything compared to what experts say is needed.

Have you ever noticed how we think about political change in separate boxes? There's one box for the environment, another for inequality, and others for racial and gender justice, education, and health. This is called silo thinking, and it's a problem because it stops us from seeing how all these issues are connected. For example, the climate emergency and military occupation are linked because the thirst for fossil fuels drives armed conflict. To make real change, we need to work together across these silos and build the largest and most powerful movements possible.

That’s where the idea of a just transition comes in. It means we should work on fixing the environment, while also making sure everyone gets treated fairly. It's not just about green energy, but also about creating good jobs, taking care of each other, and fixing the wrongs of the past.

So, picture this – you live in Warsaw and you want to buy the most sustainable tomatoes from your local food shop. Should you buy the organic ones from Spain or the non-organic ones grown in Poland? Well, neither of them are really sustainable, and that's the thing. We can't solve climate change just by making individual choices about what we buy and consume. Don't get me wrong, it's important to support organic farming methods and reduce our personal consumption, but that's not enough to reach our climate targets. We need to focus on systemic change and hold our governments and corporations accountable.

Look at voting, for example. Sure, it’s important, but what if there are no good candidates that prioritize climate action? The truth is, we can't live sustainably in an unsustainable world, and it's not fair to expect individuals to compensate for the wrongdoings of governments, media, multinational corporations, and billionaires. We need a series of different layers of actions, both structural and individual, to make a difference.

The media is a huge culprit in the destruction of our planet. They've often supported destructive industries and misled us about our environmental crisis. We need more media outlets to prioritize our existential predicament. The way our governments responded to past crises like Covid-19 shows that they know how to shift into emergency mode. But when it comes to climate change, our government isn't hitting these markers, such as spending what's needed, creating new economic institutions, shifting to mandatory measures, and telling the truth about the crisis. What we need is a just transition that aims to fix the environment while ensuring everyone gets treated fairly. Lastly, we can't solve climate change by only making individual choices. Becoming an activist, shifting towards a plant-based diet, flying less, and consuming less can make a significant difference, but we also need a system change to truly address the climate crisis.