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Into the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere
One of the world’s leading climate scientists and superb storytellers shares his hopeful and attainable vision for restoring the atmosphere and ending the current climate crisis within our lifetime.
Climate change is here. From the millions displaced by the floods in Pakistan to California towns incinerated by wildfires, we are already experiencing the anguish that climate change causes. Fossil fuels are making the planet unlivable, and they are deadly. We know that we must cut emissions if we are going to limit the catastrophes, but is that enough?
In Out of the Clear Blue Sky , climate scientist and chair of the Global Carbon Project Rob Jackson explains that we need to redefine our goals. As he argues here, we shouldn’t only be trying to stabilize the Earth’s temperature at some arbitrary number. Instead, we can restore the atmosphere itself in a lifetime—and this should be our moral duty. Emissions must be cut, first and foremost. But to safeguard a livable planet for future generations, we must repair the damage we have caused.
Jackson introduces us to the brilliant leaders and innovators behind some of the boldest and game-changing climate solutions under development. When it comes to greenhouse gas mitigation, our choices matter, as it is easier to stop emissions from happening than is to remove them from the air later. But while mitigation is crucial, no number of solar panels, electric cars, and veggie burgers will halt climate change. Decades of inaction have convinced Jackson that we need to remove carbon from the air using everything from old-fashioned natural solutions to cutting-edge technologies.
Out of the Clear Blue Sky is a heart- and mind-changing book. Guided by one of the leading scientists in this fight, we learn why we should all feel hopeful. One way or another, we will restore the planet together. The question is how, and how long will it take?
Climate change is here. From the millions displaced by the floods in Pakistan to California towns incinerated by wildfires, we are already experiencing the anguish that climate change causes. Fossil fuels are making the planet unlivable, and they are deadly. We know that we must cut emissions if we are going to limit the catastrophes, but is that enough?
In Out of the Clear Blue Sky , climate scientist and chair of the Global Carbon Project Rob Jackson explains that we need to redefine our goals. As he argues here, we shouldn’t only be trying to stabilize the Earth’s temperature at some arbitrary number. Instead, we can restore the atmosphere itself in a lifetime—and this should be our moral duty. Emissions must be cut, first and foremost. But to safeguard a livable planet for future generations, we must repair the damage we have caused.
Jackson introduces us to the brilliant leaders and innovators behind some of the boldest and game-changing climate solutions under development. When it comes to greenhouse gas mitigation, our choices matter, as it is easier to stop emissions from happening than is to remove them from the air later. But while mitigation is crucial, no number of solar panels, electric cars, and veggie burgers will halt climate change. Decades of inaction have convinced Jackson that we need to remove carbon from the air using everything from old-fashioned natural solutions to cutting-edge technologies.
Out of the Clear Blue Sky is a heart- and mind-changing book. Guided by one of the leading scientists in this fight, we learn why we should all feel hopeful. One way or another, we will restore the planet together. The question is how, and how long will it take?
304 pages, Hardcover
Published July 30, 2024
29 people are currently reading
2555 people want to read
About the author
Rob Jackson
44 books10 followersRob Jackson is the Chair of the Global Carbon Project, a Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy, and a professor of earth science at Stanford University. Through global scientific leadership and groundbreaking research, communications, and policy activities, Jackson’s work has reduced millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and improved human health, safety, and air and water quality. One of the top five most-cited climate and environmental scientists in the world, he has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications, and his writings have appeared in many outlets, including The New York Times, Scientific American, and The Washington Post. Jackson lives in Stanford, California.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 6, 2025
Very good read highlighting all the challenges we face trying to bring our planet back to a level of environmental stability needed for future generations to be able to live safely and not in fear. Can be quite disheartening at times when the author continues to press the point of everything that needs to be done to reduce carbon dioxide and methane. For me it has to be driven at the government level with penalties to companies that are not in compliance with emissions reductions. Will that happen, probably not, as every country and their leaders have their own agendas or are in the pockets of fossil fuel companies!
May 4, 2025
Woof. File this under “cool climate books that highlight ~a dozen~ examples of people fighting hard on climate but then doesn’t address the immense context it’s couched in”. Does it feature some brilliant scientists that are way way smarter than me? Yes!!! Is their work undeniably beneficial? Yes!!!!! Do I think someone who reads this off rip of context might be swayed into thinking we are okay and that the scientists will figure it out? Kinda ya. It’s a good read but I’d maybe dress down how severe climate crisis is a bit more. Would be a 5 but -1 for light to medium greenwashy rhetoric
June 28, 2025
Very good science writing. Most well-argued I have read on the human health and well-being dimension of the climate crisis and energy transition. Very pragmatic, rather than literary, exploration. Philosophical, but very straightforward and efficient writing. Emphasis on methane and greenhouse gas measurements coming from his role as chair of the Global Carbon Project and the emphasis of his research group at Stanford.
I TAed a class for Rob on Techno-optimism and Environmental Ethics and one thing about his style that shines through in the book, too, is being very grounded in numbers with a deep understanding of the stakes—moral, economic, and political. Energy justice and policy and technological solutions are framed in such a logical and convincing manner this way. All in all, I really enjoyed the inclusion of personal, rather than regional or policy-oriented, stories that humanize both the climate crisis and the energy transition.
I TAed a class for Rob on Techno-optimism and Environmental Ethics and one thing about his style that shines through in the book, too, is being very grounded in numbers with a deep understanding of the stakes—moral, economic, and political. Energy justice and policy and technological solutions are framed in such a logical and convincing manner this way. All in all, I really enjoyed the inclusion of personal, rather than regional or policy-oriented, stories that humanize both the climate crisis and the energy transition.
November 10, 2024
I was going to give it a gentleman's three stars, but, even with James Hansen blurbing it, I can't do that. First, at less than 200 pages of body text, there's not a lot of "there" there. Second, I know that we really need more than one path for different sections of the problem, but within those separate paths, there's really not much "path" in the book. There's lots of travel to people wrestling with local climate issues, a fair chunk of Yevgeny Morozov "solutionism," neoliberal style, and discussions on some things for which there really is either no path right now, or at best, no good path.
Jackson is big on reducing methane. He otes that it’s 1/3 or more of current GHG temperature increase while the atmosopheric amount is much less than CO2; ergo, there's more bang for the bunk on it than CO2. Cow feed can reduce belches, and he notes that's documented but that’s not about reducing current amount. Otherwise, he notes current removal difficulties, then mentions there are no currently active solutions or even good proposed solutions. Then why mention it?
This seems to reflect the book being an exemplar of Yevgeny Morozov’s “solutionism” in general.
On Impossible Burgers, he doesn’t note that they’re also higher sodium than beef as well as being slightly higher in saturated fat. On the bigger picture side, he doesn't discuss the energy cost to produce them. Fortunately, he was smart enough to not go into lab meat.
Carbon capture and storage? Undersells the commercial viability of the capture or storage side. Probably undersells the cost. Ditto on the feasibility and cost of the storage side, along with assurances the carbon will stay in place.
I only tagged it as "meh" and not "disappointment," because, due to its length, I wasn't expecting THAT much in the first place.
Jackson is big on reducing methane. He otes that it’s 1/3 or more of current GHG temperature increase while the atmosopheric amount is much less than CO2; ergo, there's more bang for the bunk on it than CO2. Cow feed can reduce belches, and he notes that's documented but that’s not about reducing current amount. Otherwise, he notes current removal difficulties, then mentions there are no currently active solutions or even good proposed solutions. Then why mention it?
This seems to reflect the book being an exemplar of Yevgeny Morozov’s “solutionism” in general.
On Impossible Burgers, he doesn’t note that they’re also higher sodium than beef as well as being slightly higher in saturated fat. On the bigger picture side, he doesn't discuss the energy cost to produce them. Fortunately, he was smart enough to not go into lab meat.
Carbon capture and storage? Undersells the commercial viability of the capture or storage side. Probably undersells the cost. Ditto on the feasibility and cost of the storage side, along with assurances the carbon will stay in place.
I only tagged it as "meh" and not "disappointment," because, due to its length, I wasn't expecting THAT much in the first place.
Read
August 29, 2025As with my previous review, no rating due to my policy of not rating nonfiction where facts and repeatable results are a major narrative point and therefore need to be vetted first (which may be impractical, outright impossible or simply excessively time-consuming).
That said, I am going to say that I do think climate matters are extremely important - but, quite a bit of the technology mentioned in this book definitely needs some going-over, or at the very least, I'm hesitant to take at face-value when much of the narrative about them is one-sided and effectively amounts to "just trust me bro". I wouldn't go so far as to say it's outright corporate glazing (like how I feel
Also it does do a little bit of that clueless terminally online European thing of "why don't Americans just walk or bike to work more?" and just pretend that a 15-20 mile (that's 30-40 kms for you Yuropoors) one-way commute on a bike where the infrastructure is so lopsided towards cars that bicycling is outright dangerous just isn't a problem, even if only to lead into how electric cars are legitimately one component of carbon emissions reduction.
That said, I am going to say that I do think climate matters are extremely important - but, quite a bit of the technology mentioned in this book definitely needs some going-over, or at the very least, I'm hesitant to take at face-value when much of the narrative about them is one-sided and effectively amounts to "just trust me bro". I wouldn't go so far as to say it's outright corporate glazing (like how I feel
Also it does do a little bit of that clueless terminally online European thing of "why don't Americans just walk or bike to work more?" and just pretend that a 15-20 mile (that's 30-40 kms for you Yuropoors) one-way commute on a bike where the infrastructure is so lopsided towards cars that bicycling is outright dangerous just isn't a problem, even if only to lead into how electric cars are legitimately one component of carbon emissions reduction.
November 5, 2024
XXXXX
ARE WE ENTERING THE HELL-OCENE GEOLOGIC PERIOD, A TIME OF SUFFERING AND WEATHER CALAMITIES??
XXXXX
"Restoring the atmosphere [is[ my dream as a climate scientist and the reason I [wrote] this book...
The United Nations named the 2020s the 'Decade on Restoration' to repair degraded ecosystems, combat climate change, and safeguard biodiversity, food, and water supplies.
What better way to realize success than by returning greenhouse gases such as methane and-much later-carbon dioxide to preindustrial levels? That's what I mean by 'restoring the atmosphere' [a phrase found in this book's subtitle] for a given greenhouse gas."
The above quote (in italics) is found in this fascinating book by Rob Jackson. He is the chair of the Global Carbon Project, a professor of Earth Sciences, and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University (in California). Jackson is regarded one of the top-five most-cited climate and environmental scientists in the world.
In this book, Jackson looks at the difficult but not impossible work needed to curb climate change. He states that "the cheapest, safest, and only sure path to a safe climate starts with slashing [greenhouse gas] emissions."
Thus, this book delves into some of the cutting-edge climate change solutions.
Included are extensive interviews with CEOs, researchers, and field scientists who are working to save our world and our future. In fact, this book has a chapter that spotlights individuals working on sustainable solutions.
This book also grabbles with issues of fairness and equity, consumption and demand, as well as ethics and justice.
I found the contents to be comprehensively researched, to have clear and concise explanations of the challenge to our existence, and to have specific and precise battle plans for our survival.
Finally, this book inspires the rest of us to never give up hope.
In conclusion, this is an outstanding inquiry into the fight against global warming and climate change!!
XXXXX
(2024; prologue [xiii to xv]; introduction [xvii to xxv]; 3 parts or 15 chapters; main narrative 195 pages; acknowledgments; notes (60 pages of them!!); index)
XXXXX
ARE WE ENTERING THE HELL-OCENE GEOLOGIC PERIOD, A TIME OF SUFFERING AND WEATHER CALAMITIES??
XXXXX
"Restoring the atmosphere [is[ my dream as a climate scientist and the reason I [wrote] this book...
The United Nations named the 2020s the 'Decade on Restoration' to repair degraded ecosystems, combat climate change, and safeguard biodiversity, food, and water supplies.
What better way to realize success than by returning greenhouse gases such as methane and-much later-carbon dioxide to preindustrial levels? That's what I mean by 'restoring the atmosphere' [a phrase found in this book's subtitle] for a given greenhouse gas."
The above quote (in italics) is found in this fascinating book by Rob Jackson. He is the chair of the Global Carbon Project, a professor of Earth Sciences, and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University (in California). Jackson is regarded one of the top-five most-cited climate and environmental scientists in the world.
In this book, Jackson looks at the difficult but not impossible work needed to curb climate change. He states that "the cheapest, safest, and only sure path to a safe climate starts with slashing [greenhouse gas] emissions."
Thus, this book delves into some of the cutting-edge climate change solutions.
Included are extensive interviews with CEOs, researchers, and field scientists who are working to save our world and our future. In fact, this book has a chapter that spotlights individuals working on sustainable solutions.
This book also grabbles with issues of fairness and equity, consumption and demand, as well as ethics and justice.
I found the contents to be comprehensively researched, to have clear and concise explanations of the challenge to our existence, and to have specific and precise battle plans for our survival.
Finally, this book inspires the rest of us to never give up hope.
In conclusion, this is an outstanding inquiry into the fight against global warming and climate change!!
XXXXX
(2024; prologue [xiii to xv]; introduction [xvii to xxv]; 3 parts or 15 chapters; main narrative 195 pages; acknowledgments; notes (60 pages of them!!); index)
XXXXX
November 17, 2024
Great book if you want to learn more about climate change. The author travels all over the world speaking with experts , he has 50 pages at the back giving links to actual scientific experiments and data that you can verify yourself. Over 1000 scientist over the last 100 years. I know there's a very few climate deniers left but this book might help you understand better. It's not a one solution problem either, it needs to be tackled on multiple fronts Decarbonization plants, ways too take methane out of the air , fascinating ways. Some riskier than others but it needs to be two pronged attack from both sides. We are beyond just trying to cut back. 105 degre water measured off of Florida. The amazon being burned at an astronomical rate. Shocking increases in the deepness of the summer melt of the permafrost. We can do it , we built a nuclear program in 2 yrs during World War Two. British Petroleum was moving in this direction of carbon neutrality, big pledges and "carbons footprint awareness" , until they decided to pay 10 billion to buy another oi/gas company that had access to the permian basin , where fracking took over they could make a ton more money, all. of a sudden their pledges went away. Other oil companies have done the right thing though.
January 13, 2025
At least Jackson waits until the very end of the book to plunge us into abject despair…
I like Jackson’s solutions-oriented approach in this book, even if he’s realistic about their limitations. He qualifies that while individuals are not responsible for solving climate change, every little effort to reduce emissions helps, and we can start by using electric appliances like induction stovetops and heat pumps or taking public transit and walking/biking more frequently.
I can’t say I come out of this book hopeful or optimistic about our chances to deal with climate change. It seems like current technology usually isn’t effective enough to handle the problem at scale, and in the few industries where it is, the implementation of alternative energy production methods is too costly to be feasible.
It’s encouraging to meet all the brilliant and passionate people devoted to solving climate change. But it seems like we’ll have to endure mounting catastrophes before there’s collective buy-in to take drastic action.
I hope to god Canada doesn’t repeal the carbon tax. It’s unfortunate to think that Poilievre is almost guaranteed to become the next PM and that “axing the tax” is the cornerstone of his campaign for the “carbon tax election.” 🤦♂️
I like Jackson’s solutions-oriented approach in this book, even if he’s realistic about their limitations. He qualifies that while individuals are not responsible for solving climate change, every little effort to reduce emissions helps, and we can start by using electric appliances like induction stovetops and heat pumps or taking public transit and walking/biking more frequently.
I can’t say I come out of this book hopeful or optimistic about our chances to deal with climate change. It seems like current technology usually isn’t effective enough to handle the problem at scale, and in the few industries where it is, the implementation of alternative energy production methods is too costly to be feasible.
It’s encouraging to meet all the brilliant and passionate people devoted to solving climate change. But it seems like we’ll have to endure mounting catastrophes before there’s collective buy-in to take drastic action.
I hope to god Canada doesn’t repeal the carbon tax. It’s unfortunate to think that Poilievre is almost guaranteed to become the next PM and that “axing the tax” is the cornerstone of his campaign for the “carbon tax election.” 🤦♂️
May 7, 2025
likee most of it but a little unrealistic for many people .Into the Clear Blue Sky Ch1 pollution inequity: people of color and poor bear a higher amount of pollution, need equity Ch2 Gas pollution: gas in house has co2 methane and benzene Ch3 Cows: impossible burgers, plant Based, feed additives to reduce methane Ch4 Cars: electric is the future, electric motorcycle and bikes Ch5 Steel: move to green steel, co2 penalties are key, Ch6 Pipes & Gas leaks: old pipes, infrastructure investment, utilities need to fix instead of bandaids, Ch7 CFC success: learn from CFC transition in 90s, Ch 8 Clean up: easier to prevent that clean up, BECS, DAC, basalt, Ch6 carbon storage: expensive, pay to co2 pollute, Ch 10 Stoned: create co2 into water that creates co2 stone, Ch 11 Peat: recreating Peat after years of Peat farming, Ch 12 X methane removal: microbes, chemicals but risky, Ch 13 implausible deniability: gas coal oil denial and delays for $$ and pushing blame to individuals, Ch14 Action: need to take action on a personal level and do what you can, be voice
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2024
I am eye opened after reading this. Just a little more enlightened to what is happening to earth and to how we will leave this place for our kids.
I am saddened by what global warming is doing. As much as possible and as quickly as possible we need to get away from fossil fuels. Start today to reduce your carbon footprint. Get into the faces of companies that still waste our environment away for profit. Say enough is enough. Or we will suffer and so will our future generations. And that suffering will be bad. Slow cooked is what comes to mind.
I am saddened by what global warming is doing. As much as possible and as quickly as possible we need to get away from fossil fuels. Start today to reduce your carbon footprint. Get into the faces of companies that still waste our environment away for profit. Say enough is enough. Or we will suffer and so will our future generations. And that suffering will be bad. Slow cooked is what comes to mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2025
Sobering assessment in which Jackson makes a very clear case why we need to do as much as possible right now to minimise the worsening effects of climate change. It's already happening; it's a case of how bad it will be. Jackson offers solutions, but the bottom line is we need to stop emissions of greenhouse gases as carbon and methane reduction efforts, important as they are, will never be enough.
September 5, 2025
Very insightful, thought-provoking, and emotionally stirring book.
It is for both scientists and non-scientists who want to know how methane emissions harm our climate.
The use of site visits and expert interviews brings credibility and personability to the narrative.
I feel like the author: "We have known so long about climate change, and we either do nothing, or worse, doubt and hinder any progress toward mitigation."
This book makes both of them less defendable.
It is for both scientists and non-scientists who want to know how methane emissions harm our climate.
The use of site visits and expert interviews brings credibility and personability to the narrative.
I feel like the author: "We have known so long about climate change, and we either do nothing, or worse, doubt and hinder any progress toward mitigation."
This book makes both of them less defendable.
August 11, 2024
A succinct thoughtful book about climate change and why it is happening around the world. It doesn't sugar coat the problems or end on a doomsday note. There is hope if enough of us take action. So what am I going to do? Encourage people to read this book. Get an induction cooktop. Continue to promote cycling and electric vehicles. Advocate for more government accountability to incentivize change.
September 28, 2024
3.5: explains different ways climate change is affecting different parts of the world, and explains how certain people are making a change and fighting back from climate disasters and the greedy corporations. Goes into the science behind climate change as well
January 27, 2025
Got this after reading an article in C&E news. The book feels alarmist at many points, but we should be alarmed based on the evidence shared. Some interesting reasons for hope were highlighted in the new technology opportunities becoming available.
March 14, 2024
Very informative and well written. Doesn’t sugarcoat but doesn’t succumb to pessimism. Highly recommend.
September 20, 2024
Thorough discussion about climate change and the potential things that can be done to improve things.
I won this in one of the giveaways.
I won this in one of the giveaways.
April 1, 2025
Liked that there were positive notes on the fight against climate change rather than just gloom and Doom statistics.
May 22, 2025
Ruh Roh guys
November 13, 2025
Great book! (I am legally obligated to say) …
December 6, 2025
While I don't always agree with the proposed solutions, this book is definitely a 5-star read for me. It's so interesting and also so important.
December 23, 2025
This was one of the best works of science communication I've read, and Jackson does such a masterful job at blending storytelling with science, as well as hope with urgency. This book I think compels anyone, from any background, to take climate action in whatever form is feasible. The focus on methane was, to me, a unique perspective that I hadn't often heard in the climate space before.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews