"Summer reading list": sustainability classics and some recent picks

It's that time of year...for many of us, as we move into summer, thoughts are turning to some time off and a chance to catch up on reading. So here is a list of foundational/primer books about climate, sustainability and the energy transition -- including both a set of "classics", some of which are decades old, as well as more recently-published books that I found interesting and useful.

Admittedly, this "summer reading list" does not include the type of books most people would take to the beach. But if you are really into this kind of thing, or are new to climate/sustainability, or are looking for a refresher, there may be some helpful leads here. Of course, this short list only scratches the surface of the the trove of excellent material that has been written on this subject...so if I have missed anything that struck you as particularly powerful/impactful/useful, please let me know.

1. Sustainability classics

Silent Spring, Rachel Carson (1962). A major inspiration for the modern environmental movement. Based on her controversial series for the?New Yorker, Carson’s book was hugely influential in raising awareness of the harmful effects of a range of chemicals, many of which were ultimately banned (e.g. DDT).

The Limits to Growth, Club of Rome (1972). A bombshell when published, this was an early attack on the prevailing orthodoxy under which economic growth was a universal policy goal. A team of MIT researchers examined how population increase, agricultural production, nonrenewable resource depletion, industrial output, and pollution could all affect growth. Conclusion: “the global system of nature in which we all live probably cannot support present rates of economic and population growth much beyond the year 2100, if that long, even with advanced technology.”

Our Common Future, Brundtland Commission (1987).?The UN World Commission on Environment and Development, known as the Brundtland Commission after its Chairman, produced this moving and highly influential manifesto of the importance of "learning how to live together on this earth". Reflects what was a growing awareness that a wide range of environmental and social issues need to be addressed from a global perspective. Introduced the term "sustainable development" into public discourse.?

Sustainability: A History, Jeremy Caradonna (2014, updated 2022).?Concise survey of the historical antecedents of sustainability, including the origins of environmentalism and environmental ecomomics. This Canadian academic (who has now entered politics) lays out some key debates over growth, technology and globalization without interjecting a strong personal view. He highlights both the occasional triumphs of the sustainability movement in affecting outcomes -- as well as some of its missteps and disappointments. This updated version now includes a greater focus on climate change. Fabulous overview of the subject.

Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature and Climate Change, Elizabeth Kolbert (2006, updated 2015). Kolbert adapted her award-winning 3-part series for the New Yorker into this highly readable narrative that blends personal stories and deep science to make for an excellent primer on climate change.?

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, David Wallace-Wells (2019). The table of contents reads like a zombie movie (“heat death” / “hunger” / “drowning” / “wildfire”)… but here is a clearly written, if disturbing, book on climate change for the general reader. There is plenty of science here, but presented by a non-scientist, in a convincing if occasionally preachy tone. Several people I know were unable to finish the book as being “too depressing”, but this deserves a careful read with an open mind. This book was my personal wake-up call on climate and encouraged me to pivot towards a career focused on environmental issues.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, Bill Gates (2021).?A wonderfully clear summary of the climate problem, distilling down the complexity of system changes to useful rules of thumb such as “51 billion to zero” and the “green premium”. Although I disagree with a number of his assertions (he is overly dismissive of natural climate solutions, for example), I continue to benefit from Gates’s approach to distilling down complexity when I think about the energy transition.

2. Recent picks

The Star Builders: Nuclear Fusion and the Race to Power the Planet, Arthur Turrell (2021).?Although fusion has been on "slow burn" for many years, recent years have brought breakthroughs from places like Livermore's NIF lab and Commonwealth Fusion Systems. This brief primer on fusion, its history and science, by a young physicist can help you find your way around a tokamak reactor and make you skeptical of Europe's massive ITER reactor project. The book is quickly becoming dated however as advancements continue apace.?

Superpower: One Man's Quest to Transform American Energy, Russell Gold (2020).?As permitting reform struggled wage on, this book is a portrait of just how hard that build out can be, profiling the quixotic efforts of clean energy entrepreneur Michael Skelly to build a direct current transmission line from Oklahoma to Memphis.?It is a tale with many twists and turns, with its share of heroes (early investor, Iraqi American Michael Zilkha) and villains (windmill-hating NIMBY politician Lamar Alexander). Ultimately the book ends anticlimactically, but there are still many more chapters to be written in America's grid build out (reportedly Skelly is at it again).?

The Bridge: Natural Gas in a Redivided Europe, by? Thane Gustafson (2020). Given the critical – and hotly debated – role that natural gas (which should really be called “dirty fossil gas") will play in the energy transition, it is important to understand the special features of this commodity. In this detailed history, Gustafson explores the history and politics, particularly exploring how gas was an economic link between Europe and the Soviet Union.?

How the World Really Works: A Scientist's Guide to Our Past, Present and Future, Vaclav Smil (2022).?Smil has written dozens of books about the role of energy in history and society, and nearly all of them are relevant to the energy transition. This one is more oriented to the general reader than most of his books which can get really technical... and it provides a great overview of Smil's vision of the world as a series of energetic transformations. Packed full of insights, with references to a interdisciplinary array of themes infusing science, history and culture.??

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer (2013).?A personal narrative by a PhD scientist who is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation that brings together tribal history and mythology, insights on botany and ecology and reflections on ways that science and indigenous traditions reveals both contradiction and shared learnings.?

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, Discoveries from A Secret World, Peter Wohlleben (2015).?Portrayal of forests as being able to communicate in a sophisticated social network. Beautifully written. I’m not in a position to evaluate the science here (one ecologist I know disagrees with much of this portrayal) but found it to be a fascinating way of reimaging what is happening beneath your feet in the woods.?

A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future, Sir David Attenborough (2020). Lays out the dire situation of climate change and biodiversity collapse, while also proposing a range of ideas and solutions.

Speed and Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now, John Doerr (2022).?The venture capitalist applies his “objectives and key results” (OKRs) framework to climate. Included input from a range of experts including members of civil society including my colleagues at Environmental Defense Fund .

The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist's Guide to the Climate Crisis, Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac (2021).?A short summary of the current challenges we face on climate, accompanied by a vision for a better future, with many ideas of ways individuals can get involved personally. A good companion to Christina and Tom's award-winning podcast on climate activism, Outrage + Optimism .

Generation Dread: Finding a Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis, Britt Way (2022). Here is one for those who stuggle with one of the consequences of digging in on these issues: "climate anxiety", which is on the rise.... this book is filled with tools for connecting with others on these issues and channeling that anxiety into action.?