Blueprint for a Safer Planet: How to Manage Climate Change and Create a New Era of Progress and Prosperity

by Nicholas Stern

* Further substantial climate change is unavoidable and the risks to the natural world, the economy and our everyday lives are immense. The way we live in the next thirty years - how we invest, use energy, organise transport and treat forests - will determine whether these risks become realities.





* Although poor countries - the least responsible for climate change - will be hit earliest and hardest, all countries must adapt to the effects: hurricanes and storms strike New Orleans and Mumbai; flooding causes devastation in England and Mozambique; droughts occur in Australia and Darfur; and sea level rise will affect Florida and Bangladesh.





* Lord Stern, author of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change and former Chief Economist at the World Bank, is the world's leading authority on what we can do in the face of such unprecedented threat. Action on climate change will require the greatest possible international collaboration, but if successful will ensure not just our future, but our future prosperity.





* Focusing on the economic management of investment and growth from the perspective of both adaptation and mitigation, Stern confronts the most urgent questions facing us now: what is the problem? What are the dangers? What can be done to reduce emissions, at what cost? How can the world adapt? And what does all this mean for corporations, governments and individuals?





* A Blueprint for a Safer Planet provides authoritative, inspirational, and hopeful, answers.

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction, Sustainability, Environment, Politics

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of the UK Government Economic Service, and a former Chief Economist of the World Bank.

Reviews

[Jemima Pett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really should have read this long ago. Now superseded by the IPCC's roadmap 2023. Will 'they' take any more notice?

[Ryan Mizzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Stern chaired the highly influential report on the economics of climate change. As such, this book has been on my reading list for many years. It was published in 2009, ahead of the Copenhagen climate change summit.

It's interesting to revisit this period of time and the sense of hope that still existed for global action on the climate crisis. Sadly a lot of that hope targeted at both politicians and businesses was misplaced as history has now shown. Not only did the Copenhagen summit fail abysmally, but much of the commitments by companies and politicians turned out to be nothing more than green washing. As such global emissions have continued to rise, and humanity finds itself in a perilous situation.

While the review rating was decided upon for these reasons, there is still much of interest in the book. Lord Stern talks about how action may come from education and students, a very prescient view as we've seen from the School Strike for Climate movement. He talks about how we need unity and bold leadership similar to Gandhi and Mandela, and the same attitude that helped develop the UN - something severely lacking in the world today.

Overall a worthwhile read tinged with nostalgic hope. It's beyond sad to see how we've squandered over a decade of opportunity, yet this also acts as an additional incentive for rapid and global action on the climate emergency.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rate this book so highly because I agree with absolutely everything said. The only problem is: i already knew everything written in it. Maybe because it is a decade old and I literally studied geography and economics but still i feel like most people know all of this information. Which brings me to the next point. We know everything, we know the consequences of inaction, we know the climate science and the policies required. Yet what has changed? In a decade? I'd say nothing except further freefall into global madness and more insular/ selfish policies. It all feels like a lost cause. Those who need to read this the most won't. What is the point in me., who believes in all this and agrees with everything already, reading it other than to solidify my beliefs and be disappointed? No one learns, countries have not learnt and those who are the most vulnerable will suffer and that is the sad reality. For that not 5 stars. Guess that isn't really Stern's fault that I know it all already and people are useless but still.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book gives exactly what it claims to bring to the table, a blueprint for a safer planet, I found it somewhat vague in a lot of its descriptions. It certainly gave a great overview and makes you consider how we might move forward on climate action, but it's not revolutionary. I also really enjoyed his connections to economics and policy, which is right up my alley. Overall, considering I had to read it for class, it was quite palatable and presents holistic ideas.

[Karl Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sound economic analysis. An utter tragedy that in the 15 years since this book was published, we haven't moved on and in many ways things have only become worse.

Stern didn't get the impact austerity would have on our societies and the thinking of our political class and this now reads as a tragedy of hope forsaken.

[Davide]

Molto dettagliato, dell'autore del famoso "Rapporto Stern" sullo stato del pianeta. Ma affronta l'argomento in maniera molto tecnica, anche dal punto di vista economico... Non ce l'ho fatta...!

[Russell Warfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

The density of the mathematics and economics make this book quite hard to properly engage with, as I can make few proper judgements as to what extent I agree with his proposals. (That's more of a criticism of me than the book though!). My gut tells me that he's being too optimistic and soft, but my head can't confirm either way. (Although, written Pre-Copenhagen, we do know, at least, how short we've come up against Stern's recommendations in this book)

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

mmm... I am not sure this book says something new....

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated reading this knowing the COP15 meetings will be taking place in Copenhagen this December. It is very relevant to what that meeting will address and offers solutions to climate change.

[James Lloyd]

Yeah it was alright, written in 2007 I think, so hasn't really captured how bad things have gotten. Plus Australia ratified the Kyoto Protocol already so that gives you an idea on the age of thing.