The Future We Choose

This is a book by two people who led the UN process to secure the Paris Agreement. 

They know what it takes to get over 190 countries to agree to work together to create a safer future. But this book is about more than that.

It is about you and your agency and how your mindset can help create positive change. It shows the power of optimism – stubborn optimism.

Written by architects of the 2015 Paris Accord, I expected a long, dull, treatise on policy. But I was wrong. Without whitewashing the dangers we face or the short time we have to make the right decision, the authors lay out the devastating consequences of the wrong choice, and the actions we can and must take to stop climate change and make life more enjoyable. 

I read many books about the fate of our planet but few provide as fine a balance between fact and feeling, reporting and practical advice than this remarkable collaboration by two of the main architects of the Paris Climate Agreement. Should be read by anyone troubled or energized by the challenges of our threatened planet.

This book starts with an exploration of two possible futures for climate change (one devastating, one resilient). The positive scenario is inspiring, and climate advocates need an “I have a dream.” What I love most, however, is the authors’ “ten actions” to create that more resilient future. Of course, the list includes outward system changes – move beyond fossil fuels, build gender equality. But it starts with the inner work: let go of the old world; face your grief but hold a vision for the future; defend the truth; see yourself as a citizen – not as a consumer. Christiana… show more.