Apocalypse Never

Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All

De: Michael Shellenberger

Narrado por: Stephen Graybill

Climate change is real, but it’s not the end of the world. It is not even our most serious environmental problem.

Michael Shellenberger has been fighting for a greener planet for decades. He helped save the world’s last unprotected redwoods. He co-created the predecessor to today’s Green New Deal. And he led a successful effort by climate scientists and activists to keep nuclear plants operating, preventing a spike of emissions.

But in 2019, as some claimed "billions of people are going to die", contributing to rising anxiety, including among adolescents, Shellenberger decided that, as a lifelong environmental activist, leading energy expert, and father of a teenage daughter, he needed to speak out to separate science from fiction.

Despite decades of news media attention, many remain ignorant of basic facts. Carbon emissions peaked and have been declining in most developed nations for over a decade. Deaths from extreme weather, even in poor nations, declined 80 percent over the last four decades. And the risk of Earth warming to very high temperatures is increasingly unlikely thanks to slowing population growth and abundant natural gas.

Curiously, the people who are the most alarmist about the problems also tend to oppose the obvious solutions.

What’s really behind the rise of apocalyptic environmentalism? There are powerful financial interests. There are desires for status and power. But most of all, there is a desire among supposedly secular people for transcendence. This spiritual impulse can be natural and healthy. But in preaching fear without love, and guilt without redemption, the new religion is failing to satisfy our deepest psychological and existential needs.

©2020 Michael Shellenberger (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

A bit too personal but thought-provoking

This book really brought me new perspectives on climate change. It helped me developing a more nuanced approach to the question. It is well structured and offers ample scientific background material. It challenged my assumptions on nuclear energy and the many other usual evils, and such as plastic. I disagree with the author on some points but I would still recommend the book to anyone who wants to better understand how we might face the challenges linked to climate change from a global point of view.

Unfortunately, the author sometimes sounds like a disgruntled Democratic party member (he ran as a Democrat in the primary gubernatorial election of 2018). The long-winded complaints about the Obama administration, democratic officials and other environmental activists felt useless. I was more interested in the big picture than personal resentment.

Open eyes & mind

He communicates his devotion as well as his skepticism to Climate Change. Optimism is alive and well in these pages, giving the next generation hope and freedom to appreciate and care for nature.

A must Listen!

I loved all the detailed background info that provided so much context. A must read!

this information needs to be out there!

this info he is putting out needs to be public knowledge. if you have questions about the legitimacy of the current " we are all going to die from climate change" narrative, this is the book for you. but... the reader is very monotone and the book does get a little repetitive and he keeps hammering the same points over and over again. but his info is spot on and he makes it easy to understand.

Finally, some realism and pragmatism.

This book addresses the environment is way few have. It provides a realistic and pragmatic view of how to understand and improve the way we use the environment and our resources. It leave the politics behind and offers real word solutions. A must read for anyone who cares about the world around them.

Another much needed antidote

Written with a painstaking attention to the facts and without any of the partisan bias that corrupts most writing about climate change, this book is a long needed antidote to climate change alarmism.

Climate change is real. No doubt. But it is a gradual process and a problem to be managed not the imminent doom forecast by fanatical activists with closed minds.

This book demonstrates that perhaps Biorn Lomborg is now no longer the sole voice of moderation and reason in a human minefield of cliche brandishing activists.

Extremes is wrong.

Amazing how much of our understanding about the climate change has come from sensational extremists. This book gives realistic assessment of our situation right now and in future.

Helpful and Hopeful!!

This book is astoundingly good and has changed my perspective entirely! What a refreshing and hope filled take on environmentalism!!

Important

Perspectives are what shape the decisions we make even in the face of facts. Shellenberger provides facts that support his perspective that nuclear is the best, safest source of abundant and reliable clean energy. If you are an environmentalist, recommend listen/ read.

Loved it

I LOVED this book! I always love good reasoned thinking. Sober analysis and challenging your religion. You still have religion but through this kind of clarity, you know “why” you believe to a much happier degree.