Books to read to understand the current environmental crisis

The planet is so close to being damaged that the change seems irreparable. Unfortunately, the cry for help by environmentalists is often drowned out by other news and issues that seem more urgent at the moment. This is a topic one needs to educate themselves on. Though there are many articles, books that provide more comprehensive picture of the problem from the root to a potential solution. Here are some books to give one an idea of what the future could hold for us and what can be done about it.

Photo: Pixabay

It doesn't take a lot of words to explain the severity of the global crisis and this slim book is a perfect example. The author, Greta Thunberg is a teenaged climate change activist who has shamed the callous world with her words and actions. This book is a compilation of all the powerful speeches she has given, with a positive message inspiring us all to make the difference we can.

Photo: Penguin Random House

Bill Gates has been working on several projects to improve the world with his wife Melinda. He is as well known for his philanthorphy and research to better the world as he is for his tech business, in fact he predicted a worldwide pandemic long before most had heard of coronavirus. Now in an urgent book about climate change he proposes a very well thought out and altogether possible plan to prevent the inevitable disaster heading our way. This one is a must read for it proposes an implementable plan we should all know off.

Photo: Random House

The authors of this book are the cofounders of Global Optimism, an organization focused on bringing about environmental change and they both led negotiations for the United Nations during the historic Paris Agreement of 2015. In this book they present two futures- one where all the guidelines of the Paris agreement are met and one where they aren't. They then teach readers on how to bring about eco-positive changes on every level.

Photo: Penguin Random House

The whole region of the Amazon forest is stuck in a conflict between environmentalists trying to prevent deforestation and those attempting to promote agro-industrial development. This book tells the history of the conflicts between organisations like the WWF or Greenpeace and capitalist organisations or the Brazilian Government over deforestation and the author explains how the changing world affects the Amazon.

Photo: Routledge