The best 38 Climate Change books

1
2030

2030

Mauro F. Guillén
How Today's Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything
4.2 (701 ratings)

What's 2030 about?

2030 (2020) isn’t a crystal ball – but it might be the next best thing. Drawing on current sociological trends, demographic trajectories, and technological advancements, it paints a convincing picture of the global changes we can expect to see and experience in the coming decade.

Who should read 2030?

  • Tech workers and marketing professionals keen to stay ahead of the curve
  • Eco-warriors looking for solutions to the climate crisis
  • Anyone curious to see what the future might hold

2
MegaThreats

MegaThreats

Nouriel Roubini
Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future, and How to Survive Them
3.9 (329 ratings)

What's MegaThreats about?

MegaThreats (2022) delves into the ten most pressing potential threats to humanity's future. The author examines the evidence and potential consequences for each threat, questioning whether we are doing enough to prevent or prepare for them.

Who should read MegaThreats?

  • Futurists
  • Students of economics
  • Doomsday preppers

3
The Climate Book

The Climate Book

Greta Thunberg
The Facts and the Solutions
4.0 (39 ratings)

What's The Climate Book about?

The Climate Book (2023) unites dozens of voices in a compelling and eye-opening exploration of the complex relationships between climate change, politics, and media. Offering insights into the interconnectedness of various global issues and the urgent need for systemic change, it contains practical, actionable steps towards a sustainable and equitable future.

Who should read The Climate Book?

  • Everyone concerned about our planet Earth
  • Climate activists looking to bolster their tactics arsenal 
  • Politicians and journalists who want to be part of the solution, not the problem 

4
How Bad Are Bananas?

How Bad Are Bananas?

Mike Berners-Lee
The Carbon Footprint of Everything
4.2 (252 ratings)

What's How Bad Are Bananas? about?

In How Bad are Bananas? (2010), author Mike Berner-Lee provides readers with an A-to-Z guide of how they can start living a more environmentally conscious life and reduce their own carbon footprint. You may think you’re familiar with climate change and carbon footprints, but do you really know the everyday activities that contribute to the current environmental crisis? From grocery shopping to washing your clothes, you’ll learn how to be more efficient and less wasteful.

Who should read How Bad Are Bananas??

  • Anyone curious about their own carbon footprint
  • Environmentalists in the fight against global warming
  • Consumers who want to make more informed purchases

5
Energy

Energy

Vaclav Smil
A Beginner’s Guide
3.6 (115 ratings)

What's Energy about?

Energy (2006) offers insights into one of the most elusive concepts in the spectrum of human thought: energy. By understanding what energy is, how it has helped us get where we are today, and what dangers our reliance on certain forms of energy poses, we will be better equipped to handle the challenges faced by modern civilization.

Who should read Energy?

  • Readers looking for the ultimate explanation of how our world works
  • Physics fans and climate change deniers
  • Anyone who is awed by the miracle of life

6
Nomad Century

Nomad Century

Gaia Vince
How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World
4.0 (68 ratings)

What's Nomad Century about?

Nomad Century (2022) proposes a radical solution to the looming climate apocalypse, one that’s as practical as it is controversial. To tackle the effects of climate change, we need to migrate and be more tolerant of those who’ve been forced to move.

Who should read Nomad Century?

  • Supranational bodies trying to tackle the climate crisis
  • Governments dealing with climate migration
  • Scientists, communities, and NGOs

7
How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

Bill Gates
The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
4.6 (406 ratings)

What's How to Avoid a Climate Disaster about?

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster (2021) is a guidebook to getting the world to an important milestone: zero greenhouse gas emissions. Bill Gates shares the knowledge he’s gained through his role on international climate commissions and as a go-to source of funding for climate solution startups. He pinpoints the ideas that show the most promise and explains the work that still needs to be done. 

Who should read How to Avoid a Climate Disaster?

  • Anyone concerned about climate change
  • Investors interested in new funding opportunities
  • Business leaders looking for ways to help

8
SuperFreakonomics

SuperFreakonomics

Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
4.2 (71 ratings)

What's SuperFreakonomics about?

SuperFreakonomics (2009) explains why thinking like an economist can help us understand our modern world. These blinks illustrate key economic principles and the importance of collecting data with colorful stories from human history, and offers surprising solutions for the global problems that we face today.

Who should read SuperFreakonomics?

  • Anyone interested in entertaining, statistical facts about human behavior
  • Math buffs who believe in the power of statistics
  • Anyone curious about a very cheap way to stop global warming

9
Adventures in the Anthropocene

Adventures in the Anthropocene

Gaia Vince
A Journey to the Heart of the Planet We Made
4.2 (83 ratings)

What's Adventures in the Anthropocene about?

Adventures in the Anthropocene (2014) explores how humanity has altered the planet so radically in recent decades that a new geological epoch is said to be coming into being – we’re crossing over from the Holocene to the Anthropocene, or the Age of Man. Author Gaia Vince examines what the changes we’ve made really mean for the world. From disappearing islands to urban slums, from Mekong fishermen to ancient nomadic tribes in Kenya, these blinks tell the story of our new relationship with nature and our hopes for the future.

Who should read Adventures in the Anthropocene?

  • Anyone who’d like to understand the human impact on the world
  • Global citizens who want to learn about the effects of climate change
  • Everyone who wonders about the future of human life on Earth

10
Braiding Sweetgrass

Braiding Sweetgrass

Robin Wall Kimmerer
Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
4.4 (290 ratings)

What's Braiding Sweetgrass about?

Braiding Sweetgrass (2013) offers a profound and insightful look at the relationship between humans and Mother Earth. With the growing concerns about climate change, deforestation and the depletion of our natural resources, it is more important than ever to reevaluate how we treat the world around us. Find out how the traditional practices of Native Americans can help us make the world a better place for future generations.

Who should read Braiding Sweetgrass?

  • Environmentalists
  • Students of anthropology or botany
  • Readers who appreciate a holistic approach to science

11
Energy Myths and Realities

Energy Myths and Realities

Vaclav Smil
Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate
3.8 (121 ratings)

What's Energy Myths and Realities about?

These blinks provide an objective, science-based look into the global energy debate that is so often dominated by the misleading rhetoric of politicians, industry leaders and activists.

Who should read Energy Myths and Realities?

  • Anyone who is concerned about “peak oil“ and the global energy supply
  • Anyone who wants to get some scientific facts that affect the global energy debate
  • Anyone who wants to critically examine biofuel and wind as alternative energy sources

12
The Future We Choose

The Future We Choose

Christiana Figueres
Surviving the Climate Crisis
4.2 (194 ratings)

What's The Future We Choose about?

The Future We Choose (2020) presents us with two potential visions of life on earth: one of sweltering heat, diminishing biodiversity, and severely declining quality of life, and one where the planet’s temperature has stabilized, life flourishes, and humanity prospers. The world we choose will depend on the actions we take now, in what is a critical decade in the fight against climate change. While the prospect may seem daunting, it’s time to rise to the challenge and determine our future.

Who should read The Future We Choose?

  • Climate crusaders feeling hopeless about their cause
  • Anyone who wants to know how they can contribute to a sustainable world
  • Those worried about the future

13
Drawdown

Drawdown

Paul Hawken (ed.)
The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming
4.3 (123 ratings)

What's Drawdown about?

There’s no doubt: global warming is real and its main driver is carbon emissions from human activity. Drawdown (2017) argues that despite the depth of the climate crisis humans have manufactured, it’s not too late for us to turn back the clock. From solar power to agroforestry to electric cars, Drawdown compiles countless proven ways that radically reduce human carbon emissions. This essential guide contains all the knowledge and technology that we need to reverse global warming and save the world.

Who should read Drawdown?

  • Individuals who care about the future of humanity
  • Business owners, policy makers, activists and homeowners who want to make a measurable difference
  • Science nerds, tech enthusiasts and nature lovers

14
Food and Nutrition

Food and Nutrition

P.K. Newby
What Everyone Needs to Know
4.1 (256 ratings)

What's Food and Nutrition about?

Food and Nutrition (2018) looks at the science behind what we eat. Based on only the best and most thorough studies, it cuts through the noise and fads to reveal what we really know about healthy eating.

Who should read Food and Nutrition?

  • Anyone interested in what actually constitutes a healthy diet
  • Foodies who want to make better choices
  • People curious about sustainable farming

15
Green Illusions

Green Illusions

Ozzie Zehner
The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism
3.9 (99 ratings)

What's Green Illusions about?

Green Illusions deflates the hype surrounding new alternative energy sources. It also explains why, if we truly care about the environment, we should focus on changing our own excessive consumer behavior.

Who should read Green Illusions?

  • Anyone interested in the truth behind alternative energy sources
  • Anyone who cares about the future of our planet
  • Anyone interested in urban planning

16
Earth for All

Earth for All

Sandrine Dixson-Decleve
A Survival Guide for Humanity
4.4 (29 ratings)

What's Earth for All about?

Earth for All (2022) is more than a book – it’s a survival guide. After centuries of industrialization, population growth, and rising inequality, our planet is now at a tipping point. We are already learning to live with pandemics, war, wildfires, and more. This guide offers timely, practical solutions for the urgent problems facing humankind.

Who should read Earth for All?

  • People concerned about climate change
  • Activists seeking a better future
  • Residents of planet Earth – in other words, all of us!

17
Anarchism

Anarchism

Colin Ward
A Very Short Introduction
4.5 (95 ratings)

What's Anarchism about?

Anarchism (2004) lays out the history and principles behind an oft-misunderstood political ideology. Crucially, anarchists emphasize freedom over oppression, thereby seeking to do away with human life’s many hierarchies, be they those imposed by the modern nation-state, by patriarchal societies or even by religious organizations. Anarchism envisions a world free from any sort of coercion.

Who should read Anarchism?

  • Anyone looking to learn about alternative societal models
  • Students of politics or history
  • Citizens concerned about climate change and how we might stop it

18
We Are the Weather

We Are the Weather

Jonathan Safran Foer
Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast
4.3 (226 ratings)

What's We Are the Weather about?

We Are the Weather (2019) is a rigorous investigation of climate change, what it means and why humans seem so powerless to tackle it. Jonathan Safran Foer argues that while climate change is terrifying and hard to understand, there is a very simple action that we can take: By leaving out meat and animal products for breakfast and lunch, we can make a huge contribution to the health of the planet.  

Who should read We Are the Weather?

  • People who want to save the planet, but feel paralyzed by what first step to take
  • Psychology buffs who are interested in group dynamics, and what motivates people to act 
  • Would-be vegans who need a bit more persuasion to take the plunge

19
The Uninhabitable Earth

The Uninhabitable Earth

David Wallace-Wells
A Story of the Future
4.6 (134 ratings)

What's The Uninhabitable Earth about?

The Uninhabitable Earth (2019) is a terrifying rundown of the horrors which await in an ever-warming world. With poetic brilliance, Wallace-Wells draws from the latest research in climate science to give us an elegant final warning. Runaway wildfires, submerged cities, polluted air and global pandemics – these and other climate-induced catastrophes not only await in the very near future but in some cases have already arrived.

Who should read The Uninhabitable Earth?

  • Climate-conscious citizens who need it given to them straight
  • Anyone seeking to understand the cutting edge of environmental science
  • Everyone living on planet Earth

20
The Fate of Food

The Fate of Food

Amanda Little
What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World
4.1 (60 ratings)

What's The Fate of Food about?

The Fate of Food (2019) looks at a rapidly changing world and the question of how we’ll feed our ever-growing population. Is it possible to produce a clean, climate-resilient food supply that’s adequate to meet our needs? The Fate of Food examines the technological and sociological demands of feeding the world. 

Who should read The Fate of Food?

  • People concerned with the effects of industrial agriculture on the environment
  • Food lovers fascinated by the farm-to-table journey
  • Science buffs wanting to keep up with the latest trends in agricultural science

21
Losing Earth

Losing Earth

Nathaniel Rich
A Recent History
4.3 (143 ratings)

What's Losing Earth about?

Losing Earth (2019) tells the story of climate change, both as a scientific fact and as a political conflict. This detailed piece of long-form reporting recounts the scientific community’s early push to raise the alarm about climate change and the coordinated effort the fossil fuel industry made to thwart those warnings.

Who should read Losing Earth?

  • Environmentalists eager to understand their enemy
  • Political moderates needing a dose of reality
  • Anyone concerned about the future of Earth

22
Under a White Sky

Under a White Sky

Elizabeth Kolbert
The Nature of the Future
4.2 (94 ratings)

What's Under a White Sky about?

For thousands of years, we humans have been struggling against nature. Under a White Sky (2021) explores the problems that come about when we win that fight –⁠ and how scientists, engineers, and others are trying to fix them. From the quaint to the grandiose, from the quirky to the terrifying, it’s our responsibility to explore all available remedies for the deep damage we’ve wrought.

Who should read Under a White Sky?

  • Anyone concerned about the state of the natural world
  • Plant and animal lovers
  • Futurists curious about global changes

23
Food Fix

Food Fix

Mark Hyman
How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet – One Bite at a Time
4.5 (131 ratings)

What's Food Fix about?

Food Fix (2020) shows us how the world's gravest problems, like chronic disease, inequality, and climate collapse, can all be traced back to our food and the way we produce it. Here, American physician Mark Hyman describes what we should do next, setting out the path to healthy eating and regenerative farming. 

Who should read Food Fix?

  • Anyone interested in eating and living well
  • Environmentalists and climate activists
  • Farmers looking to transition to sustainable agriculture

24
Energy

Energy

Richard Rhodes
A Human History
4.4 (120 ratings)

What's Energy about?

Energy (2018) looks back at over 500 years of human progress, examining the scientific, financial, and social forces behind the development of artificial energy. From wood to coal to oil and beyond, each new invention was informed by those that came before it. But while these technologies ushered in new promise, they also brought with them new challenges that were not always anticipated, including environmental impact.

Who should read Energy?

  • Science buffs interested in the development of world-changing ideas
  • People curious about the origins of modern technology
  • Environmental activists who want to learn about the struggle between innovation, capitalism, and environmental protection

25
The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels

The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels

Alex Epstein
What if using fossil fuels is healthy and moral after all?
2.4 (94 ratings)

What's The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels about?

In The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, author Alex Epstein explores the benefits of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil. The book outlines the dramatic and positive effects using such fuels has had on society and examines the many myths associated with fossil fuels. Importantly, using fossil fuels is a moral decision in that their benefits to humanity outweigh any of today’s environmental concerns.

Who should read The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels?

  • Anyone interested in environmental issues or climate change
  • Anyone baffled by the conflicting information over the effects of climate change
  • Anyone concerned about the future of the energy sector

26
A Life on Our Planet

A Life on Our Planet

David Attenborough
My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future
4.6 (192 ratings)

What's A Life on Our Planet about?

A Life on Our Planet (2020) is celebrated naturalist David Attenborough’s account of the incredible wonders he’s seen in his 94 years on Earth – and a vivid warning of what will happen if we continue on our current path. It’s accompanied by a Netflix documentary of the same name.

Who should read A Life on Our Planet?

  • Anyone who loves nature television
  • Those concerned about global warming
  • People who want to take action to save our planet before it’s too late

27
Falter

Falter

Bill McKibben
Has the Human Game Begun to Play Itself Out?
4.2 (57 ratings)

What's Falter about?

Falter (2019) provides a rather sobering counterargument to the rash of optimistic books about the present and future that have been appearing on the market lately. Instead of everything being pretty good and set to get even better, author Bill McKibben argues that things are already pretty bad and are on a course to get even worse, due to the threats posed to humanity by climate change, genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. He then goes on to provide some suggestions for how we can deal with these threats before it’s too late.  

Who should read Falter?

  • Those skeptical of authors preaching optimism about the future of humanity
  • Science fiction buffs wondering about the likelihood of a dystopian 21st century
  • Any human being concerned about the survival of our species

28
The Upcycle

The Upcycle

William McDonough and Michael Braungart
Beyond Sustainability – Designing for Abundance
4.0 (37 ratings)

What's The Upcycle about?

The Upcycle (2013) explains that eco-consciousness and economics needn’t be at odds. In fact, ecological sustainability is good economics, and humans can nurture the planet by learning from nature and starting a green revolution.

Who should read The Upcycle?

  • Proponents of the “green movement”
  • Eco-conscious business owners

29
The Emerald Planet

The Emerald Planet

David Beerling
How Plants Changed Earth's History
4.6 (33 ratings)

What's The Emerald Planet about?

The Emerald Planet (2007) looks at the central role plants have played in shaping the planet and its environment. New research makes use of plants, both fossilized and living, to explain how the planet got where it is, and where it might go in the future. The Emerald Planet inspired a three-part BBC series called How to Grow a Planet.

Who should read The Emerald Planet?

  • Anyone interested in plant biology and paleobotany
  • People who want to learn more about ancient mass extinctions
  • Evolutionary science enthusiasts

30
The Burning Question

The Burning Question

Mike Berners-Lee and Duncan Clark
We can’t burn half the world’s oil, coal and gas. So how do we quit?
4.0 (25 ratings)

What's The Burning Question about?

The Burning Question deals with our generation’s most pressing problem: climate change. The book discusses why it’s important to make drastic changes in our politics, markets and society, and what we have to do to achieve a sustainable future for ourselves and our grandchildren. The authors not only explain how we’ve failed so far but also point towards the source of the problem.

Who should read The Burning Question?

  • Anyone interested in the science of climate change
  • Anyone who wants to know how they can help stop climate change
  • Anyone interested in how business can prevent progress

31
The Sum of Us

The Sum of Us

Heather McGhee
What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
4.1 (66 ratings)

What's The Sum of Us about?

The Sum of Us (2021) is a searing analysis of how white supremacy has devastated the American middle class. Public services have been decimated, millions of Americans have no healthcare, and lobbyists control political decision-making. But white Americans keep voting for politicians who make things worse while blaming immigrants and people of color for the nation’s problems. Only by tackling racism head-on can we begin to fight for economic equality for all Americans.

Who should read The Sum of Us?

  • White people wanting to educate themselves about the real costs of racism
  • Activists looking for inspiration about how to create powerful multiracial coalitions
  • Anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of US history and how it affects politics today

32
A Brief History of Motion

A Brief History of Motion

Tom Standage
From the Wheel, to the Car, to What Comes Next
4.3 (93 ratings)

What's A Brief History of Motion about?

A Brief History of Motion (2021) provides a revealing overview of the history, and possible future, of the automobile. From the invention of the wheel, to early steam engine contraptions and the enticing promises of automated cars, you’ll find out how these vehicles changed the course of human history, and the unexpected problems they’ve caused along the way. 

Who should read A Brief History of Motion?

  • Gearheads
  • Anyone concerned about climate change 
  • Investors wondering about the future of transportation

33
A World Without Ice

A World Without Ice

Henry Pollack
What happens if climate change takes its course
4.3 (23 ratings)

What's A World Without Ice about?

A World Without Ice (2009) is about our planet, its climate, its human residents – and ice. Ice has always been a major player in Earth’s climate. These blinks explain why we may soon see a world without ice, why that would have dramatic consequences for Earth and humans alike, and how we can cope with climate change.

Who should read A World Without Ice?

  • Anyone hoping for a sustainable future on Earth
  • Anyone interested in polar ice, icebergs, glacial ice and snow
  • Anyone interested in geology or politics

34
Decoding the World

Decoding the World

Po Bronson and Arvind Gupta
A Roadmap for the Questioner
4.0 (63 ratings)

What's Decoding the World about?

Decoding the World (2020) is a dive into the fascinating world of IndieBio, a biotechnology firm that’s determined to change the world for the better. The long-term health of both people and the planet are at stake – and not just because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who should read Decoding the World?

  • Science fans excited by fascinating new developments
  • Futurists imagining what lies ahead
  • Philosophy enthusiasts wondering what to do in the modern world

35
Waste Not

Waste Not

Erin Rhoads
Make a Big Difference by Throwing Away Less
4.0 (45 ratings)

What's Waste Not about?

Waste Not (2019) is a practical guide to changing your consumption lifestyle in order to have a big, eco-friendly impact. Learn how to enjoy the conveniences of the modern world without leaving behind a pile of modern trash.

Who should read Waste Not?

  • People who want to reduce their waste output
  • Parents looking to educate their kids about recycling
  • All those concerned with climate change

36
The Book of Eels

The Book of Eels

Patrik Svensson
Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World
4.4 (22 ratings)

What's The Book of Eels about?

The Book of Eels (2020) takes the reader on a zoological odyssey spanning thousands of years. It’s the story of the eel – a creature that has enthralled humanity with its strange and complex life cycle. Countless scientists have dedicated their careers to the enigma of this fish, which has evolved to undergo several metamorphoses over the course of its life and to endure a grueling migration across the Atlantic to breed. But the eel has proven to be an elusive creature, and there are still many secrets about its life that it seems intent on keeping to itself.

Who should read The Book of Eels?

  • Nature lovers who are fascinated by strange stories from the great outdoors
  • Fans of mysteries that stubbornly resist explanation 
  • Environmentalists concerned about humans’ effect on the future of the eel

37
Eco-Business

Eco-Business

Peter Dauvergne and Jane Lister
A Big-Brand Takeover of Sustainability
4.5 (16 ratings)

What's Eco-Business about?

Eco-Business (2013) unpacks corporate sustainability initiatives to reveal a business model that has far more to do with profit and market share than earnest environmentalism. The tools and tactics described in these blinks allow businesses to cut costs and maximize profits, all in the name of the environment. Yet through firms’ collaboration with governments and NGOs, some corporate eco-initiatives can actually have a positive effect on the environment.

Who should read Eco-Business?

  • Business leaders looking to cut costs, increase efficiency and promote a “green” image
  • Policymakers curious about the real impact of corporate sustainability initiatives
  • Consumers wanting to know how their purchases affect the environment

38
The Price of Thirst

The Price of Thirst

Karen Piper
Global Water Inequality and the Coming Chaos
3.7 (10 ratings)

What's The Price of Thirst about?

In The Price of Thirst (2014), author Karen Piper reveals how private water companies have not only failed to offer universal access to clean water but also contributed to environmental degradation and political conflict amid a quest for profit.

Who should read The Price of Thirst?

  • Environmentalists concerned with global concerns over water
  • Political scientists studying water rights issues
  • Anyone interested in the environment and climate change

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