5 Books to Read About Climate Change

Writers: Kalpita Gangwar, Aditi Subramanyam, Adom Opoku-Saama

On Time and Water

"On Time and Water" by Andri Snær Magnason is a captivating and introspective exploration of our relationship with time, nature, and the urgent need for environmental stewardship. Magnason skillfully weaves together personal anecdotes, scientific insights, and philosophical musings to craft a thought-provoking narrative. The book delves into the author's experiences with glaciers, reflecting on their profound transformations and the consequences of climate change. He also explores the concept of time, contemplating its fluidity, its impact on our perception of the world, and its interconnectedness with nature's cycles. Through lyrical prose and vivid imagery, the reader is presented with a poignant picture of our planet's vulnerability and the existential challenges we face. "On Time and Water" urges readers to reflect on their own role in the preservation of our planet and serves as a touching call to action to protect and restore the natural world for future generations.

Migrations

Charlotte McConaghy’s Migrations follows the eventful journey of Franny Stone, a young woman who takes on the extensive task of mapping the migration of the Arctic tern, currently on the brink of extinction. McConaghy creates the setting of her novel to mirror a future Earth that has been made inhospitable by the drastic destruction caused by climate change. Throughout the long journey, McConaghy gradually reveals Franny’s traumatic past along with a description of the dystopia that global warming has created, urging readers to act before the prospective future becomes a reality. Migrations has been deemed “an ode to the disappearing world” and is a must-read for readers interested in a climate adventure.

Under a White Sky

Elizabeth Kolbert's nonfiction book Under a White Sky focuses on a unique strategy that could potentially address the climate change crisis. In the first two sections of the book, she explores previous attempts within the US to halt waste; however, these attempts ended up having consequences that were worse than the original problem. In the third and final section, Kolbert introduces the idea of solar geoengineering, an approach that aims to cool the earth by reflecting solar radiation back into space. This section is particularly special because it targets where the earth needs the most help: the atmosphere. An important idea that the author notes is that at the end of the day, humans can only do so much to find the best solution, and every method to reduce climate change, carbon emissions, or mass waste has its drawbacks. This writing recognizes that it is imperative that scientists start weighing costs and benefits before it's too late.

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming is a nonfiction book by author David Wallace-Wells. This book’s intent is to serve as a wake-up call to those who truly do not know the severity of the earth’s current climate issue. It presents many reports, statistics, and conclusions drawn by scientists and politicians on the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The book’s first section asserts that climate change is “much worse than you think.” It documents what the earth would look like in 2100 if it continued in its current state, and the findings are worrisome. Wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and more natural disasters are only bound to get worse. In the book’s second section, Wallace-Wells connects the idea that refugee crises, food shortages, and natural disasters are all connected to climate change, and a critical step to tackling these issues is to fix the planet first.

Parable of the Seed Sower

Parable of the Sower is an apocalyptic fiction novel by Octavia E. Butler. It takes place between the years 2024 and 2027 and follows a woman named Lauren Olamina. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world completely devastated by climate change and social inequality. Lauren lives in a protected neighborhood with her family; however, outside of her neighborhood walls, drug addiction runs rampant. In the story, Lauren faces conflict between her religious father and her atheist beliefs. She is skeptical of his faith in God and tries to make sense of it by creating her own belief system: Earthseen. Lauren then tried to flee her community in Los Angeles with a group of followers to spread this belief all around the world.