Once you finish some of the other good recommendations in this thread, I recommend How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm. The title is not really representative of the content. I thought it was a very thoughtfully written, nuanced perspective on the challenges facing those trying to prevent climate change.
Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
11–20 of 21 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#12Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#13Bill Gate's "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster" is a good layperson introduction on the topic (I include myself in this):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Avoid-Climate-Disaster-Breakthr...
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#14Don't Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change by George Marshall.
It's not the most cheerful book I've read though.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#15I like this one: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_Earth_Discipline
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#16The Logic of Collective Action by Mancur Olson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Logic_of_Collective_Action
> ... published in 1965. It develops a theory of political science and economics of concentrated benefits versus diffuse costs. Its central argument is that concentrated minor interests will be overrepresented and diffuse majority interests trumped, due to a free-rider problem that is stronger when a group becomes larger.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#17I'll get downvoted for saying it, but as a counterpoint read some Bjorn Lomborg. He doesn't deny global warming is happening, just the practicality and cost-effectiveness of proposed solutions, and whether spending the same money elsewhere would do more to improve the lot of the world's poorest.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#18Read the IPCC reports for the scientific context. The on the ground situation changes all the time (keeps getting worse) and the reports are updated every few years. The IPCC is a UN panel of scientists studying climate change over decades and publishing their findings in a pretty easy to understand format. It's all open and free and the methodologies are documented. Proposed solutions are pretty much nonexistent/irr…
IPCC Working Group III has the sole purpose of documenting mitigation strategies[1]. Their next big report is due sometime before the end of March 2022[2]. I'm sure there will be lots of interesting ideas presented there, though it's unclear how feasible they'll be.
[1] https://www.ipcc.ch/working-group/wg3/
[2] https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-g...
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#19A very very good book is
"Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming"
Description: "The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world "
After it was released in 2017 it got enough buzz that a non-profit called Project Drawdown was created to continue the effort. https://drawdown.org/
Re: Ask HN: What is the best book on the climate problem and solutions?
#20Unsettled by Dr Steven Koonin, Obama’s undersecretary for science. Of course, it’s not popular with climate alarmists.