The Climate Cure: Solving the Climate Emergency in the Era of COVID-19

by Tim Flannery

mergencies test governments, organisations and individuals. Although Australia’s prompt, science-led response to COVID-19 has not been perfect, it has saved tens of thousands of lives. But for decades, governments have ignored, ridiculed or understated the advice of scientists on the climate emergency.

Now, in the wake of the megafires of 2020, a time of reckoning has arrived. In The Climate Cure renowned climate scientist Tim Flannery takes aim at those responsible for the campaign of obfuscation and denial that has already cost so many Australian lives and held back action on climate change.

Flannery demands a new approach, based on the nation’s response to COVID-19, that will lead to effective government policies. The Climate Cure is an action plan for our future. We face a fork in the road, and must decide now between catastrophe and survival.

Genres: Nonfiction, Climate Change, Science, Environment

224 pages, Paperback

Published November 3, 2020

About the author

Tim Flannery is one of Australia's leading thinkers and writers.

An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, he has published more than 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers and many books. His books include the landmark works The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers, which has been translated into more than 20 languages and in 2006 won the NSW Premiers Literary Prizes for Best Critical Writing and Book of the Year.

He received a Centenary of Federation Medal for his services to Australian science and in 2002 delivered the Australia Day address. In 2005 he was named Australian Humanist of the Year, and in 2007 honoured as Australian of the Year.

He spent a year teaching at Harvard, and is a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a director of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and the National Geographic Society's representative in Australasia. He serves on the board of WWF International (London and Gland) and on the sustainability advisory councils of Siemens (Munich) and Tata Power (Mumbai).

In 2007 he co-founded and was appointed Chair of the Copenhagen Climate Council, a coalition of community, business, and political leaders who came together to confront climate change.

Tim Flannery is currently Professor of Science at Maquarie University, Sydney.

Reviews

[Bec Hillier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this book!!

[Peter Lees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Flannery provides an excellent understanding for those of us who are not scientists of the serious issues of climate change and the many challenges facing the world today. He presents real solutions that could be implemented and/or researched to assist with repairing damage done to the environment since the Industrial Revolution. Like many of us, he is frustrated by the blatant inaction of governments, including Australia, who seem to be more interested in the potential wealth that can be exploited by pillaging the planet that supports our very being.

John F Kennedy posed the following statement in his inaugural address. “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you could do for your country”. Unfortunately, governments around the world have sat on their hands for far too long, reaping in the rewards. Now the time has come to start paying our debt.

This book is a must read for every Australian. Tim Flannery must feel like a prophet crying in the wilderness, given Australia’s total disregard to the serious climate issues facing Australia. I congratulate him for providing us with the information we need to push our governments to act.

[Lish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manages to be so utterly depressing yet hopeful at the same time. Everyone should read this ASAP

[Text Publishing]

The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of The Climate Cure

‘The real strength of [Flannery’s] book is its emphasis on solutions.’
Age

'This book is short but it packs a powerful punch.’
ReadPlus

‘Flannery combines scientific understanding with political nous…his prose is crystal clear about the nature and extent of both catastrophe and cure…[He] offers hope over despair.’
Australian Book Review

[Toula Demetriades · Rating 5 out of 5]

An urgent reminder that we stand to lose everything we have every held dear to us. It angers me that Climate Targets have has yet not been set. Water for your children? A world free from the shackles of corporate greed and misappropriated money, taken from the most vulnerable in the world. I implore anyone who has ever held power to take their reigns and end this madness. Absolute power, mishandled and too proud to seek the temperance that good leadership requires is, and has always been, the undoing of us all. Women, children, artists, girls as beautiful as rainbows puncturing these dystopian skies, walk forward, proud, strong. Men you can also be rainbows, but only if you do not pillage what is not yours. This is our world. The rest is up to us. I have also learnt that during uncertain times, the absolute necessity of play...Thank you Mr Flannery. You carry a beacon in this dying world

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of what he says is useful, especially the science. His economic information is less good (although even there he makes some good points, he just falls into the trap of being surprisingly conservative which is a wishful thinking mistake I think) and his writing style is not engaging.

A useful book to help you think about issues that need to be thought about.

[Lee Kofman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a necessary book to read. Flannery knows how to hold hope where there sometimes seems to be no hope at all. I love his wisdom, and I above all I love his pragmatism. Rather than making idealistic sweeping statements criticizing everyone, he works on bringing the right and the left, climate change believers and deniers, together to labour hard to save whatever is still possible. I also really love the clear, accessible list of solutions he offers at the end of the book, as a summary. Now all we need is governments to implement them. Ahhh…

[Mark S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book certainly provides plenty of useful information on prospects for various cleaning up of industries, and also potential clean industries. However, it does not deal at all with the fact that capitalism is the driver of climate crisis and that we need to move to a decentralised, de-growth economy that centers First Nations rights, racial justice, global equity, environment sustainability and human interest above all. Instead we are left with a list of capitalist reforms (how to plug cruise ships in at port, a human rights abusing and massively dirty industry, rather than getting rid of it??) that will superficially improve conditions but do nothing to alter racial inequity and power structures. Lots of fanfare of the (brief) drop in emissions that covid wrought as potential for the future is made, without recognizing that this came off the back of huge economic suffering by the world's working class and poor. Thus illustrates the limited scope of Flannery's vision for a more perfect future.

[Scott Lines · Rating 5 out of 5]

While there is no new information presented to those already familiar with Tim Flannery's work, this book does provide a succinct summary of the past, present and potential future of Australia's role in meeting (or more often the case, not meeting) the climate challenge.

[Rich Turley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any Australian interested in the future of our country

[Sharpay · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to addressing climate change I am not sure what is more complex - science or politics.

[Amanda Watkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flannery provides an excellent overview of the current climate challenges, how Australia got here and what opportunities we have to avert and/or mitigate climate disaster.

This book looks at the responsibilities of those in position of power and influence to change the current climate trajectory. This book gives practical steps of what needs to be done by government and opportunities for businesses; it isn't a how-to for individuals such as meat-free Mondays and zero-waste. If you've watched David Attenborough's witness statement and felt the imperative that something must be done - this book gives a road map.

Every Australian should read this book and anyone else who is interested in a better understanding of the real problem and a guide of what they should be holding their government to account to.

[Ty Parsons · Rating 1 out of 5]

A book with the word 'cure' should have provided so much more than heavily prejudiced, indirect comparisons, and political insinuation. Realism presents facts, not confirmation bias, supplied in a "if only we'd done this" or "unless we do this" style of narrative. Catering to a specific market, this book does nothing more than fuel the beliefs of its readers, and comes across as opinion presenting as certainty.

[Mikayla Imrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not surprising information presented in this book however a succinct overview of how we can limit our emissions and the associated climate change impacts. Describes how the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated we can make significant change for a pressing issue. A pity these solutions will never be enacted with the current government.

[Joel Blacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Flannery makes many complex scientific ideas accessible to the everyday reader in this book, The Climate Cure.

I enjoyed that this book largely covered recent events and up to date science.

I would encourage Australians to read this book in the hope that we might collectively take more climate action, and focus our efforts on corporate fossil fuel companies to begin with.

[Thebroadgrumps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically a series of essays by Flannery. It is well written and easily conveys an understanding of the problem and some potential cures to the reader who does not need to be scientifically educated. Highly recommended

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent summary of the situation as it stands in Australia at the moment and the solutions and directions we need to pursue. History will not look kindly on Tony Abbott and his successors. Thank goodness for scientists like Tim Flannery!

[Marni Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Succinct summary of current challenges posed by climate change in Australia and offshore. Concise means to refresh my memory on the topic. I valued the book being written during the pandemic and the parallels the author has identified between both crises of COVID-19 and climate change.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, though the treatise--that the Australian federal government is capable of acting decisively to combat climate change and chooses not to--is mostly common-knowledge at this stage. Flannery does go the extra mile to provide a series of concrete policy proposals that could be adopted.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. Disturbing. Deeply frustrating and angering. This is a great book for entry level citizens looking into climate action for the first time.

Deducting a star for the typos I noticed, they really should have been picked up during the editing process.

[Rusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every Australian should read this - an excellent overview of what Australia needs to do (over the next 9 years) to have a hope of mitigating climate change. The book is both exciting and daunting. Exciting, because Flannery takes us through the economic, political, scientific and social opportunities that an urgent and aggressive climate action policy would create. Daunting, because Australian politicians are too neutered by the fossil fuel industry to actually seize these opportunities. Nevertheless this is a wonderful text that provides a vision of a renewable clean future for Australia, and maps out a way for us to get there. One of Flannery’s most fascinating revelations was Germany’s Coal Compromise, which I had never heard of before. The Coal Compromise is a policy the German government used to smooth the transition to renewables - it guarantees that no mine worker will lose employment when the coal mines are retired. Instead these miners are redistributed and re-hired in different roles, with jobs guaranteed by the government. Flannery makes a convincing case for an Australian Coal Compromise, arguing that if one political party was to adopt it as a policy, the fossil fuel lobby would be severely weakened. Read this book to know that the opportunities, the solutions are there - we just need a government who will act.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear tidy and well referenced work. Supported my understanding of where we are at, and it ain't pretty.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple but not simplistic and scathing but not devoid of hope.

[Dooley Whitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Flannery has done a great job at explaining some of the mega challenges that we need to face as a country, and as a planet. Definitely get your hands on a copy.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a series of articles than a book

[Roger Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, but a bit of "more of the same".
Some good points made but it got a bit tedious.

[Libby Fallance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic readable summary of the climate crisis in the Australian context.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly easy read and a good look at solutions to the climate crisis

[Kit Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. Flannery highlights the parallels between COVID-19 and the climate emergency and offers practical solutions to reduce Australia’s carbon footprint.

[Bella McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book. Information is easy to understand and cited. Loved this book so much. Highly recommend