Book Review: Not the End of the World

📖 This article is featured in illuminem’s Curated Booklist: the influential books shaping the world sustainability debate

Title: Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet
Author: Hannah Ritchie
Publisher: Chatto & Windus
Publication: January 2024
Sustainability topics: Environmental Sustainability 🌍

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Guardian or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Hannah Ritchie, in an extract from her book "Not the End of the World," discusses how data science has given her reason for hope in the climate crisis 
• Ritchie explains that despite alarming predictions, the trajectory towards catastrophic global warming is not inevitable 
• She highlights the significant decline in deaths from natural disasters over the past century, countering the perception of increasing disaster frequency and severity

🔭 The context: Ritchie's change in perspective began at the 2015 Paris climate conference (Cop21), where nations aimed to limit global warming to below 2°C, with aspirations of 1.5°C 
• Despite skepticism about achieving these targets, Ritchie notes that recent data show progress, with current policies pointing towards a 2.5°C to 2.9°C increase, and more ambitious pledges potentially capping the rise at 2.1°C

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Throughout the book, there is an emphasis on the importance of acknowledging climate change and focusing on action, noting the world's progress in reducing per capita carbon emissions and the increasing feasibility of low-carbon technologies

⏭️ What's next: Ritchie expresses confidence in humanity's ability to build a sustainable world, fueled by technological advancements and increased global awareness and action against climate change

💬 One quote: "The climate scientists know change is possible because they’ve seen it happen. Against the odds, they’ve driven much of it." (Hannah Ritchie)

📈 One stat: Per capita carbon emissions peaked in 2012 and have been slowly falling since, signaling an approaching peak in total global CO2 emissions

This review is part of illuminem’s Curated Booklist: the influential books shaping the sustainability debate. illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting exclusive insights from the world’s largest network of sustainability thought leaders. Their views expressed do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.

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