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Solving the Climate Crisis: Frontline Reports from the Race to Save the Earth
Groundbreaking solutions to the climate crisis from scientists, engineers, civic leaders, entrepreneurs and activists, offering hope to all readers concerned about our planet's future.
Offers practical actions that reflect technological and economic advances with an introduction by former United States senator Russ Feingold.
Solving the Climate Crisis is a hopeful and critical resource that makes a convincing and detailed case that there is a path forward to save our environment. Illustrating the power of committed individuals and the necessity for collaborative government and private-sector climate action, the book focuses on three essential
Based on more than 6 years of research, Berger traveled the nation and abroad to interview governors, mayors, ranchers, scientists, engineers, business leaders, energy experts, and financiers as well as carbon farmers, solar and wind innovators, forest protectors, non-profit leaders, and activists.
With real world examples, an explanation of cutting-edge technologies in solar and wind, and political organizing tactics, Solving the Climate Crisis provides a practical road map for how we effectively combat climate change. Replacing the fossil-fuel system with a newly invigorated, modernized, clean-energy economy will produce tens of millions of new jobs and save trillions of dollars. Protecting the climate is thus potentially the greatest economic opportunity of our time.
Offers practical actions that reflect technological and economic advances with an introduction by former United States senator Russ Feingold.
Solving the Climate Crisis is a hopeful and critical resource that makes a convincing and detailed case that there is a path forward to save our environment. Illustrating the power of committed individuals and the necessity for collaborative government and private-sector climate action, the book focuses on three essential
Based on more than 6 years of research, Berger traveled the nation and abroad to interview governors, mayors, ranchers, scientists, engineers, business leaders, energy experts, and financiers as well as carbon farmers, solar and wind innovators, forest protectors, non-profit leaders, and activists.
With real world examples, an explanation of cutting-edge technologies in solar and wind, and political organizing tactics, Solving the Climate Crisis provides a practical road map for how we effectively combat climate change. Replacing the fossil-fuel system with a newly invigorated, modernized, clean-energy economy will produce tens of millions of new jobs and save trillions of dollars. Protecting the climate is thus potentially the greatest economic opportunity of our time.
528 pages, Paperback
Published October 24, 2023
10 people are currently reading
3183 people want to read
About the author
John J. Berger
12 books20 followersJohn J. Berger launched the environmental restoration movement in 1985 with his book Restoring the Earth: How Americans Are Working to Renew Our Damaged Environment. He also founded and directed the nonprofit Restoring the Earth, Inc., which worked to advance the cause of environmental restoration via public education and environmental policy development. Through Restoring the Earth, Berger and his staff initiated a seminal environmental restoration conference that prominently brought restoration to media and public attention.
Dr. Berger has authored and edited eleven books on energy and environmental issues and is a long-time supporter of alternative energy solutions to global environmental problems. For many years he has repeatedly called attention to the nation’s excessive dependence on foreign oil and the huge attendant economic and environmental costs, and risks. He has outlined strategies for a clean, renewable energy economy in books such as Charging Ahead: The Business of Renewable Energy and What It Means for America, and Beating the Heat: How and Why We Must Combat Global Warming, and Climate Change Policy (Schneider et al, eds.).
Berger wrote one of the first books critical of nuclear power, Nuclear Power: The Unviable Option, which forewarned in 1976 of core-melt accident possibilities, such as the one that later occurred at Three Mile Island. In the same book, he highlighted the nuclear industry’s grave economic problems, which have since brought its expansion to a virtual standstill in the U.S. Later he co-founded and directed the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Inc. of Washington, D.C., which has provided critical information on nuclear power issues to millions of people and assisted safe energy organizations throughout the country.
As an independent energy and environmental consultant, he has worked for the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences, Fortune 500 companies, such as Lockheed and Chevron, nonprofit groups, and governmental organizations. His work has included providing assistance to firms in the assessment of renewable energy technology. As noted above, he served for two and a half years as consultant to the NRC for its national study on scientific, technological, and policy aspects of aquatic restoration, and he has been a consultant on restoration ecology to the Office of Technology Assessment of the U. S. Congress.
As a scientific consultant to the National Research Council, he helped to design, write, and edit the Council’s highly acclaimed national study, The Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystem: Science, Technology, and Public Policy (1990) that put aquatic ecosystem restoration more prominently in the public eye and higher on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s agenda.
Prior to his work in natural science, climate, and energy, Berger was an innovator in journalism, co-founding Alternative Features Service, Inc. in 1970 to support the development of alternative and college newspapers and radio stations in the U.S. with syndicated press materials that especially highlighted the creation of alternative institutions, such as free clinics, people’s banks, free universities, and alternative housing.
Dr. Berger has authored and edited eleven books on energy and environmental issues and is a long-time supporter of alternative energy solutions to global environmental problems. For many years he has repeatedly called attention to the nation’s excessive dependence on foreign oil and the huge attendant economic and environmental costs, and risks. He has outlined strategies for a clean, renewable energy economy in books such as Charging Ahead: The Business of Renewable Energy and What It Means for America, and Beating the Heat: How and Why We Must Combat Global Warming, and Climate Change Policy (Schneider et al, eds.).
Berger wrote one of the first books critical of nuclear power, Nuclear Power: The Unviable Option, which forewarned in 1976 of core-melt accident possibilities, such as the one that later occurred at Three Mile Island. In the same book, he highlighted the nuclear industry’s grave economic problems, which have since brought its expansion to a virtual standstill in the U.S. Later he co-founded and directed the Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Inc. of Washington, D.C., which has provided critical information on nuclear power issues to millions of people and assisted safe energy organizations throughout the country.
As an independent energy and environmental consultant, he has worked for the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences, Fortune 500 companies, such as Lockheed and Chevron, nonprofit groups, and governmental organizations. His work has included providing assistance to firms in the assessment of renewable energy technology. As noted above, he served for two and a half years as consultant to the NRC for its national study on scientific, technological, and policy aspects of aquatic restoration, and he has been a consultant on restoration ecology to the Office of Technology Assessment of the U. S. Congress.
As a scientific consultant to the National Research Council, he helped to design, write, and edit the Council’s highly acclaimed national study, The Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystem: Science, Technology, and Public Policy (1990) that put aquatic ecosystem restoration more prominently in the public eye and higher on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s agenda.
Prior to his work in natural science, climate, and energy, Berger was an innovator in journalism, co-founding Alternative Features Service, Inc. in 1970 to support the development of alternative and college newspapers and radio stations in the U.S. with syndicated press materials that especially highlighted the creation of alternative institutions, such as free clinics, people’s banks, free universities, and alternative housing.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 31, 2025
A deeply researched and clearly written Magnum opus from a lifelong climate journalist and activist. Goes fairly deep into the science, terminology and industrial economics. At 400+ dense, engaging, high-quality, enjoyably readable, carefully edited pages, it’s an astonishing amount of work.
He covers both market and government driven climate mitigation policy, and is both realistic and optimistic.
Written before the trump election, Berger is enthusiastic about the many climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction act, seeing it as a template for future effective government action. Oh, do I wish we were living on that timeline.
So my only criticism is that the tremendous danger to climate action of Maga populism is nowhere on Berger’s radar. Since it is fossil fuel funded, including by Putin’s military ambition created inflation that caused a global coordinated rise in populism, it is perhaps the largest risk to the climate, and it is not in this book. On the other hand, he does talk about the importance of democracy and public education, but mostly as an opportunity.
He covers both market and government driven climate mitigation policy, and is both realistic and optimistic.
Written before the trump election, Berger is enthusiastic about the many climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction act, seeing it as a template for future effective government action. Oh, do I wish we were living on that timeline.
So my only criticism is that the tremendous danger to climate action of Maga populism is nowhere on Berger’s radar. Since it is fossil fuel funded, including by Putin’s military ambition created inflation that caused a global coordinated rise in populism, it is perhaps the largest risk to the climate, and it is not in this book. On the other hand, he does talk about the importance of democracy and public education, but mostly as an opportunity.
October 28, 2023
This book is a must-read for people who want to learn how we can successfully combat climate change right now. It's well-researched, very easy-to-read, and it both inspires hope in readers that we have the know-how to contain and reverse climate change--if we just can summon the will and make the needed initial financial investments.
The book is full of inspiring stories of people, companies, and activists who are in the vanguard of implementing new clean energy and carbon-capture technologies. They are working in transportation, heavy industry, construction, building design, city planning, regenerative agriculture, and many other fields to reduce our carbon footprint and the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere ASAP.
The author shows how the climate crisis is a transformational opportunity to reduce our energy bills, energize the economy, and create a healthier environment for all -- if we make the investments now rather than living in denial, despair, or feeling paralyzed by climate anxiety.
The book is enjoyable to read and written in a way that will appeal to people who want to learn about solutions to the climate crisis, but don't want a dry book geared to scientists or policy wonks (although they should read it, too!). Readers will come away better informed and armed to educate and pressure people with the power to implement these needed changes--as well as to educate and motivate family, friends, and colleagues to join in the effort to lobby those in power to make these needed changes. You will come away feeling thatm despite all the bad news, there is hope. And knowledge, hope, faith, and a can-do attitude is what's needed right now to help us create a better, more livable world. I highly recommend this book!
The book is full of inspiring stories of people, companies, and activists who are in the vanguard of implementing new clean energy and carbon-capture technologies. They are working in transportation, heavy industry, construction, building design, city planning, regenerative agriculture, and many other fields to reduce our carbon footprint and the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere ASAP.
The author shows how the climate crisis is a transformational opportunity to reduce our energy bills, energize the economy, and create a healthier environment for all -- if we make the investments now rather than living in denial, despair, or feeling paralyzed by climate anxiety.
The book is enjoyable to read and written in a way that will appeal to people who want to learn about solutions to the climate crisis, but don't want a dry book geared to scientists or policy wonks (although they should read it, too!). Readers will come away better informed and armed to educate and pressure people with the power to implement these needed changes--as well as to educate and motivate family, friends, and colleagues to join in the effort to lobby those in power to make these needed changes. You will come away feeling thatm despite all the bad news, there is hope. And knowledge, hope, faith, and a can-do attitude is what's needed right now to help us create a better, more livable world. I highly recommend this book!
April 22, 2025
Slightly reassuring to have some achievable pathways laid out, even despite the regression currently underway.
4.1/5
4.1/5
November 8, 2023
Second only to climate change as a threat to humanity's future is pessimism and hopelessness. John Berger's book "Solving the Climate Crisis" is a desperately needed antitoxin. His previous book "Climate Peril" is a sobering description of what the earth is in for if we do nothing, or too little: how the heating of the globe will affect sea level rise, ocean currents, weather patterns, polar ice, and continental temperatures. Solving the Climate Crisis is a hopeful companion to that earlier book, describing promising paths forward. It offers descriptions not only of what must be done, but more importantly what is being done now.
Mr. Berger's book is full of stories about impactful efforts by dedicated innovators, activists, companies, and cities. Greening steel and concrete production, considered by many as the most intractable industries for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, is nevertheless evolving in exciting directions due to the dedicated efforts of researchers and inspired companies. As Berger points out, the motivations are both the desire to do good and the potential profits. The economic benefits to solving the climate crisis is a recurring theme in his book; the future belongs to problem solvers, not defenders of the status quo. If economies will aggressively evolve to meet the challenges of climate change, both the catalyzing intervention of governments as well as the energies of entrepreneurs will be essential. Ideological biases against government or business will not move us forward.
Mr. Berger is clear-eyed about the huge obstacles ahead. Fighting climate change will require unprecedented international cooperation. Not only will obstinate, big-country players need to engage with each other in serious solutions, but developing nations as a block are also a huge challenge, especially since wealthier nations are not following through on their pledges to help. Also, will the United States take its leadership role seriously given its vacillating commitment to its own democratic values? If we commit to act, we must be able to distinguish real solutions from the overhyped ones—beware pie-in-the-sky geoengineering promises. He concludes his book with a to-do list of necessary policies and actions, and the governmental bodies that need to act on them.
Mr. Berger's book is written in a very accessible, informal style; this is no dry technical monograph. He doesn't make assumptions about the expertise of his audience, explaining in simple language technical processes and financial terms. The book could be a valuable resource for young people needing help with identifying their educational and occupational goals. It also could fortify legislators against climate skepticism and obstructionism that they face in contemporary politics. And for the rest of us, he points the way through the noisy distractions of daily news toward the evolving solutions to climate change that rarely if ever make daily reporting—conscientious people making fruitful progress through unwavering attention. Read this book to be inspired.
Mr. Berger's book is full of stories about impactful efforts by dedicated innovators, activists, companies, and cities. Greening steel and concrete production, considered by many as the most intractable industries for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, is nevertheless evolving in exciting directions due to the dedicated efforts of researchers and inspired companies. As Berger points out, the motivations are both the desire to do good and the potential profits. The economic benefits to solving the climate crisis is a recurring theme in his book; the future belongs to problem solvers, not defenders of the status quo. If economies will aggressively evolve to meet the challenges of climate change, both the catalyzing intervention of governments as well as the energies of entrepreneurs will be essential. Ideological biases against government or business will not move us forward.
Mr. Berger is clear-eyed about the huge obstacles ahead. Fighting climate change will require unprecedented international cooperation. Not only will obstinate, big-country players need to engage with each other in serious solutions, but developing nations as a block are also a huge challenge, especially since wealthier nations are not following through on their pledges to help. Also, will the United States take its leadership role seriously given its vacillating commitment to its own democratic values? If we commit to act, we must be able to distinguish real solutions from the overhyped ones—beware pie-in-the-sky geoengineering promises. He concludes his book with a to-do list of necessary policies and actions, and the governmental bodies that need to act on them.
Mr. Berger's book is written in a very accessible, informal style; this is no dry technical monograph. He doesn't make assumptions about the expertise of his audience, explaining in simple language technical processes and financial terms. The book could be a valuable resource for young people needing help with identifying their educational and occupational goals. It also could fortify legislators against climate skepticism and obstructionism that they face in contemporary politics. And for the rest of us, he points the way through the noisy distractions of daily news toward the evolving solutions to climate change that rarely if ever make daily reporting—conscientious people making fruitful progress through unwavering attention. Read this book to be inspired.
November 8, 2023
According to the New York Times, it’s become common for psychotherapists to see patients whose mental health is being negatively impacted by anxiety about the health of the planet and feelings of dread about its future. John Berger’s newly published “Solving the climate crisis: frontline reports from the race to save the earth,” can help deal with such eco-anxiety.”
Berger makes the case that we already have the technologies that can significantly mitigate the climate threat. And he provides examples of “climate savers” who are successfully using such technologies to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels.
“Solving the climate crisis” is excellently indexed and is a valuable addition to a climate change library collection. No matter the state of your eco-anxiety, I highly recommend it.
Berger makes the case that we already have the technologies that can significantly mitigate the climate threat. And he provides examples of “climate savers” who are successfully using such technologies to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels.
“Solving the climate crisis” is excellently indexed and is a valuable addition to a climate change library collection. No matter the state of your eco-anxiety, I highly recommend it.
November 6, 2023
As a future social worker, I wanted to educate myself on the climate crisis and learn how to advocate for our worlds needs. However, I was a bit intimidated by this book wondering if I would get it all. That worry was completely unnecessary. If you have any interest in understanding the climate crisis pick this book up!! Do not be intimidated. The author explains things well, defines any jargon used clearly, and highlights the positives of what is being done as well as what is needed. It is not all doom and gloom, but it does lay down the facts. However, we see what is being done, learn of changes recently made, and are inspired to advocate. This book balances hard truths and hope beautifully. I loved this book!
December 22, 2025
This book is my Bible. My only complaint is that there hasn't been an update on statistics from the damage Trump has done while in office so far this term.
Thank you John, for doing what was necessary and what no one has done before in putting this all together.
From the incredibly thorough research to the comedic tone he uses, a truly terrifying yet astounding delight to read that gave me a much better perspective on the state of the world. I wish I could say I had more hope after finishing, yet some of most important people who should be heeding his word continue to ignore in favor of temporary profit because they have yet to realize the bigger picture.
Ignorami, the lot of them.
Thank you John, for doing what was necessary and what no one has done before in putting this all together.
From the incredibly thorough research to the comedic tone he uses, a truly terrifying yet astounding delight to read that gave me a much better perspective on the state of the world. I wish I could say I had more hope after finishing, yet some of most important people who should be heeding his word continue to ignore in favor of temporary profit because they have yet to realize the bigger picture.
Ignorami, the lot of them.
July 25, 2024
Wonderful book. There is tons of great advice for my audience. Check out my interview with John Berger on The Not Old Better Show podcast. Thanks, Dr. Berger, for a great book and excellent interview.
February 28, 2025
An in-depth and frank discussion of where we are at with climate change and how critical action is required now. Unfortunately this book has not taken in to account the newest President of the US who is going to take the US in the wrong direction. The consequences are frightening.
April 7, 2025
A good survey, written a couple of years ago, mainly about the technologies available to quickly reduce and maybe even roll-back our carbon emissions. Makes it all seem quite feasible, assuming the political will was there. Gave me some hope.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews