Climate and Society: Transforming the Future

by Robin Leichenko, Karen O'Brien

This bold and important new book presents current and emerging thinking on the social dimensions of climate change. Using clear language and powerful examples, it introduces key concepts and frameworks for understanding the multifaceted connections between climate and society. Robin Leichenko and Karen O’Brien frame climate change as a social issue that calls for integrative approaches to research, policy, and action. They explore dominant and relevant discourses on the social drivers and impacts of climate change, highlighting the important roles that worldviews and beliefs play in shaping responses to climate challenges. Situating climate change within the context of a rapidly changing world, the book demonstrates how dynamic political, economic, and environmental contexts amplify risks yet also present opportunities for transformative responses. Aimed at undergraduate students and others concerned with a critical challenge of our time, this informative and engaging book empowers readers with a range of possibilities for equitable and sustainable transformations in a changing climate.

Genres: Sustainability

248 pages, Hardcover

Published June 17, 2019

Reviews

[Fridja Ernens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite considering myself quite well read on the topic of climate change i learned a lot from this book. Thusfar my view was mostly technocratic aka i saw it as an equation of us having to reach a net zero sum of GHG emissions by producing less GHG and capturing GHG.
However this book showed me we need more than techinical solutions and need a change in parts of our society to reach the Paris goals.
It was great to get a broader societal overview and it encouraged me to read more about how to approach climate change from a systems point of view.

A way better evaluation than i could ever give can be found here:
https://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/b...

[Meghan Klasic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of climate change and the role of discourse, worldviews, and beliefs in climate transformation.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hopeful look at the inevitable catastrophe that is climate change

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first textbook to offer a coherent set of lessons on the climate transformation vision developed by Robin Leichenko and Karen O'Brien with the extensive research and implementation support of others like Neil Adger, Harold Wilhite, and Monica Sharma.

If you are looking for a good textbook for a course on social perspectives on climate change and climate solutions, start here. It has a great explanation of the underlying ideas and theories that currently drive that portion of the research community that is working most avidly on climate change solutions from a social science perspective.

It is relatively dry and dense, so I recommend accompanying it with books that offer concrete examples and concrete solutions. For example, one book that I am currently using alongside this textbook in my Climate Adaptation class is Kivalina: A Climate Change Story by Christine Shearer.