Isn’t this interesting – this story has been out there since
April 21, 2015.
The most important number you've never heard of
By John D. Sutter, CNN
If the world warms more than 2 degrees Celsius, we're all in
a lot of trouble.
This was a follow-up article on May 21, 2015 by the same
author.
(CNN)Climate change is all
about degrees.
Six degrees Celsius of warming may not sound
like much -- probably because "temperatures can swing by 6 degrees within
an hour if a warm front passes, and it doesn't mean the end of the world,"
said Mark Lynas, author of a book called "Six Degrees: Our Future on a
Hotter Planet."
But if we raise global average surface
temperatures by just 6 degrees above pre-industrial levels, Lynas told me,
we'll create "a scenario which is so extreme it's almost
unimaginable."
You'll find Lynas' "Six Degrees" on a list of 12
climate change must-reads below. It includes a Pulitzer Prize winner, Elizabeth
Kolbert's "The Sixth Extinction," as well as an illustrated account
of an artist's dive into climate science, titled "Climate Changed."
You readers suggested all these, and I've included some of your
comments about them.
Sign
up for the "2 degrees" newsletter if you want to join our freewheeling
book club.
We'll tackle "Six Degrees" first, since it's a great
primer.
Here are his 12 must-read climate change books. Do you recognize any?
1.
"Six Degrees," by Mark Lynas
Chapter by chapter, Lynas explores what the world would look
like if it warms 1 degree, 2 degrees, 3, degrees Celsius, etc. He's great at
distilling the science and maintaining a sense of optimism amid some very
gloomy predictions about the future. Suggested by Lance Olsen.
2.
"This Changes Everything," by Naomi Klein
"Well researched, compelling arguments, hits home for
multiple audiences, and is a realistic call to action." -- Laura S. Lynes,
from Canmore, Alberta
3.
"The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight," by Thom Hartmann
"It's all-encompassing -- it delves into the various
feedback systems in a climate change context, and also the underlying cultural
philosophy or stories we tell ourselves that continue to create the situation
we're in. Fascinating stuff!" -- Trevor, from Los Angeles
4.
"The Age of Sustainable Development," by Jeffrey D. Sachs
"Comprehensive and positive summary of the steps required
for sustainable development with good overviews of the problems causing climate
change." -- Dan Fowler, from Austin, Texas
5.
"Comfortably Unaware," by Richard A. Oppenlander
"People don't realize the devastating impact that our food
choices have on the planet. This book explains how animal agriculture is the
single biggest cause of global warming." -- Wendy Horowitz, from New Haven,
Connecticut
6.
"The Sixth Extinction," by Elizabeth Kolbert
"An amazingly well written narrative on the effect our
species has had on the planet. As our population continues to grow and our
demand on our very limited resources escalates, the negative impact we have had
and continue to have is well explained." -- Sharon Lynch, from Benicia,
California
7.
"The End of the Long Summer," by Dianne Dumanoski
"A really thoughtful, wise and balanced appraisal of fact
that, going on past changes to the climate, we are likely to reach a sudden
tipping point and experience huge climate changes over just a few years, BUT
that humans are incredibly resilient and adaptable and rather than go extinct,
will likely rise to the challenge.
"This book gave me hope while presenting the facts."
-- Persephone Maywald, from Australia
8.
"Climate Wars," by Gwynne Dyer
"Waves of climate refugees. Dozens of failed states.
All-out war. From one of the world's great geopolitical analysts comes a
terrifying glimpse of the strategic realities of the near future, when climate
change drives the world's powers towards the cut-throat politics of
survival," the publisher's description says.
9.
"Merchants of Doubt," by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
Here's an endorsement from John Horgan, of Scientific American:
"The book, which packages rigorous research in fiery rhetoric, inspired a
documentary, 'Merchants of Doubt' ... I highly recommend the book and
documentary, which reveal how disturbingly easy it can be for unscrupulous
spin-meisters to dupe journalists and the public." The book was suggested
by Aaron Thierry, a reader from Edinburgh, Scotland
10.
"Don't Even Think About It," by George Marshall
A Twitter user -- @timreckmeyer -- suggested
this one as part of a discussion on
whether we at CNN should be leading climate change stories with images of sad
polar bears on ice sheets. (He thinks we shouldn't. You can see from the
gallery below that we still are, from time to time.) George Marshall, the
book's author, explores how our brains shape (and warp) perceptions about
climate change. I'm hoping this book will help me understand how to better
explain this subject -- and will settle the polar bear debate.
11.
"Climate Changed," by Philippe Squarzoni
"It's an amazing book. It's an illustrated nonfiction book
(graphic novel format) that is built on Squarzoni's interviews with IPCC
scientists. The science is well explained, but the power comes from watching
Squarzoni absorb the information and struggle to fit it into his life, just
like a reader, over the six years it took him to put the book together. So the
intangible social aspect of climate, which is probably more important to
solutions than climate science itself, is explored with candor." --
Richard Reiss, from New York
12.
"The Great Transition," by Lester Brown
"Right away, book club or no, this book must be read: 'The
Great Transition,' by Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute," a
reader, Elizabeth McCommon, wrote in an e-mail. A friend "put it in my
hands this last weekend, saying it would help me regain optimism about the
future," she said.
Sounds like it worked.
Email questions to:
climate [at] cnn.com.
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