7 books to help you understand climate change

By Mandy Burkholder | November 5, 2016

Being able to understand climate change isn’t easy. With so much research and so many factors and opinions involved, it’s downright impossible to sort through all the information. Fortunately there are authors out there who make it their duty to inform the public on all things climate change. From the angle of food production to steps towards sustainability to a graphic novel, there are countless ways to learn more about the state of Mother Earth.

Check out this list of the best books to help you understand climate change. Don’t forget to share them with friends and family to start a dialogue in your life!

Six Degrees: Our Future On A Hotter Planet

With each chapter, Lynas breaks down scientific predictions if the Earth rose in temperature by one degree celsius at a time. For example, chapter one discusses the implications of a one degree increase, chapter two a two degree increase, and so forth. With relatable language, Lynas helps the reader understand complicated research on global warming.

Hot Flat And Crowded

Written by New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas L. Friedman, Hot, Flat, and Crowded argues that the only solution for repairing America’s political and economic status is by becoming a global superpower in the clean energy and green technology industries. Arguing that the U.S. has seen a lack of national purpose post-9/11, Friedman sees a shift towards eco-friendly technology as the key to reunification.

The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight

Thom Hartmann’s novel helps the reader understand the subconscious cultural stories we tell ourselves that ultimately continue the cycle of global warming. Through reading The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, you’ll develop a deeper sense of cultural and ecological consciousness to help you navigate the future on a planet with explosive population growth, climate change, and dwindling nonrenewable resources.

The Age of Sustainable Development

For a logical and comprehensive plan of action towards sustainable practices, read Jeffrey D. Sachs’ The Age of Sustainable Development. He breaks down current research on climate change to an understandable level, while providing a practical framework for the future.

Comfortably Unaware

Break yourself from the chains of blissful ignorance by reading Richard A. Oppenlander’s inspiring work Comfortably Unaware. In the book, he discusses the extremely devastating impact current food trends have on the environment, even going as far as naming the meat and animal industries as the single biggest contributors to global warming.

Our Choice

A companion piece to former U.S. Vice President Al Gore’s groundbreaking film and literary work An Inconvenient Truth, Our Choice aggregates all of the current research on the solutions for healing the Earth from climate change. It reads more like a textbook, so read prepared with a highlighter in hand!

Climate Changed: A Personal Journey Through The Science

This nonfiction graphic novel by Philippe Squarzoni illustrates his journey to understand the science behind climate change, as well as grasp the ultimate question: “what can me, an individual, do about it?” He spent six years researching, interviewing, and synthesizing the facts as he created the inspirational work.