Humanity's Moment : A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope

by Joëlle Gergis

When climate scientist Joëlle Gergis set to work on the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, the research she encountered kept her up at night. Through countless hours spent with the world’s top scientists to piece together the latest global assessment of climate change, she realised that the impacts were occurring faster than anyone had predicted.

In Humanity’s Moment, Joëlle takes us through the science in the IPCC report with clear-eyed honesty, explaining what it means for our future while sharing her personal reflections on bearing witness to the heartbreak of the climate emergency unfolding in real-time. But this is not a lament for a lost world. It is an inspiring reminder that human history is an endless tug-of-war for social justice. We are each a part of an eternal evolutionary force that can transform our world.

Joëlle shows us that the solutions we need to live sustainably already exist – we just need the social movement and political will to create a better world. This book is a climate scientist’s guide to rekindling hope, and a call to action to restore our relationship with ourselves, each other and our planet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Environment, Politics, Climate Change, Nature

325 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2022

About the author

Dr Joëlle Gergis is an award-winning climate scientist and writer. She served as a lead author for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report and is the author of Sunburnt Country: The History and Future of Climate Change in Australia. Joëlle has also contributed chapters to The Climate Book by Greta Thunberg, and Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, edited by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua.

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly wonderful book and a highly recommended read for anyone trying to make sense of the impact that climate change is having on the earth currently and (not to make light of it) what the "choose your own adventure" pathways that lay ahead of us could look like.

Coming from the pen of one of the climate scientists who has invested countless (unpaid) hours developing the latest United Nations IPCC report, it is filled with some of the most up to date - and quite heartbreaking - information and data available.

Depending on how sensitive you are to this topic the first two thirds or so can make for very hard reading as the cold hard facts are put into language that is more readily understood, though difficult to swallow, about climate change and the impact human activity has had and will continue to have regardless of our next steps. The question we have to face now is how bad will we let it get?

While it can give you a feeling that it's a Sisyphean task we have ahead, the final chapters really do present a strong case for hope for the future, if only we choose to listen and play our part.

Sit with the doom and gloom for a while, then figure out what you're going to do about it.

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book, one that everyone should read. It uses both scientific fact and good writing as well as emotional honesty to make it's points. At times I was a bit irritated by the tone or details I wanted to argue with I really think that the good of this book overrides any nitpicks I could bring. If people were to take most of what it says (and shows, and proves) on board then we could buy some time to argue over details.

Some take-home messages:

1. We all need to do a bit more to demand climate action from our governments
2. We all need to consume less. While Gergis stops short of telling people to go vegan (seeing it as an ideal but not a mandatory thing) she does make the point that people need to REDUCE their consumption of animal products by a lot. I think that's a sensible argument
3. She makes the point that even though it is emotionally and practically hard to engage in climate action, those of us who have a decent quality of life (ie a stable home and a living wage) should do more because other people have even less capacity than us.

Why should we do more? Read the book, she explains that bit a lot better than I can.

[Kelsey]

A factually accurate book that offers nothing new to the climate change discussion.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

An IPCC scientist’s extremely eloquent integration of climate science and the heart. It is full of grief but sanely hopeful. It is the best book I’ve read after a year of scanning books to buy and display on our fortnightly climate conversations market table. It is equally addressed to recent survivors of fires and floods, parents, young people, seasoned activists, creatives, and other climate scientists, and it is able to address all these groups because it treats them all as able to learn and able to integrate the head and the heart. Part I reviews the current science without withholding bad news. Part 2 integrates that data with the heart and “the sea of humanity”. Part 3 turns to politics, reminding us that “revolutions seem impossible until they become inevitable”, which is the title of the last chapter. Joëlle Gergis is a brilliant woman with a great heart, and she’s a wonderful writer. I.e., please read this book!

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The full title of this book is Humanity's Moment: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope. I find it hard to imagine that a climate scientist could have any hope. Report after report comes out, each hammering the same point - that we have to act NOW- only for it to be engulfed in the news cycle by some new event with better video footage to attract eyeballs.

Joëlle Gergis is a climate scientist. She was one of about a dozen Australian lead authors working on the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report that was released mid-2021. As part of Working Group 1, her task was to provide the scientific foundation for understanding the risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and avoidance of dangerous levels (p10). It was her job to review thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies, and distill their key findings

The book is divided into three sections on this basis: The Head, The Heart and The Whole. The first section, The Head, is facts and statistics. There was so much I didn't know. The second section The Heart is written in "us" language: she, the writer, is talking to us, the reader. She speaks of fear, despair, frustration - deeply human responses- and I feel as if here I am reading the answer to my own question "what were climate scientists thinking when they heard this?". They were crying. They were frightened. And when I hear this, I am frightened too. Who is going to lead us out from all this? she asks in Part III, The Whole. Her answer is that we are going to have to do it ourselves. This is an 'active hope' for her but I wish I felt as sanguine as she does.

This is an important book because it connects the head and the heart. It is deeply rooted in the science- you only have to look at the bibliography to see that- but it is realistic about the political challenge. At times the writing, especially when describing nature, is a bit overwrought and self-conscious, but the passages where she talks about her response at an emotional level are raw and honest, and above all human. Because in the end, it is the recognition of being human, together, that is our best hope.

For my complete review, please visit:https://residentjudge.com/2022/09/26/...

[Wendelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Egyptian-Australian climate scientist, physical geographer and co-lead author of the IPCC 6th Assessment Report Joelle Gergis writes with urgency and persistence about the complexities of the climate crisis in a way that's easy to absorb and understand. She emphasizes that we are THE critical generation-- the political decisions we make today influence the tipping of thresholds that may be irreversible and locked in for centuries to come.

""It's extraordinary to realize that we are witnessing the great unraveling; the beginning of the end of things. I honestly never thought I'd live to see the start of what sometimes feels like the apocalypse. The Earth is struggling to maintain its equilibrium, it's possible that we are now seeing a cascade of tipping points lurching into action as the momentum of instability takes hold and things start to come apart."" -Dr. Joelle Gergis

""In the world's wild places, it's easy to reconnect with a sense of timelessness, to feel what our ancestors once felt. To remember that these landscapes have borne witness to an eternity of inner and outer world struggles, silently offering the wisdom and restoration that come from being still and listening."" -Dr. Gergis

[Mr Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Humanity’s Moment’ is a masterclass in climate communication, with Dr Gergis detailing the climate impacts already being felt and aligning these with real emotional and psychological responses. Dr Gergis served as a lead author for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report and is an authority on the climate science underpinning the report. This is not a dry science textbook however, Gergis draws on the recent work by Rebecca Solnit and Caroline Hickman to explore the climate anxiety felt by many around the world. She argues that ‘Until we are prepared to be moved by the profoundly tragic ways we treat the planet-and each other- our behaviour will never change.'
Her aim in ‘Humanity’s Moment’ is to help people recognise that we are here, at this time, despite our wishes to be alive at any other time, or to quote Tolkien, as Gergis does, ‘”I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.”’ And that we have the capacity for great change, as we have done so many times in the past to come together as a species to recognise our humanity. ‘This book is an invitation to reclaim our shared humanity at this transformative time in history, wherever you are in the world. You want to be a part of the group of people who cared enough to try…How bad we let things get is still up to us- the apocalypse is not a done deal.’
Gergis convincingly outlines that we must feel the impacts of climate change- we must connect with the impacts- we must respond to the impacts. She draws attention to the need to remove ourselves from a driving, relentless media which aims to enthral our attention with sensation without substance. She praises the uncertainty of science language, but acknowledges that this approach is now widely understood or necessarily appreciated. ‘Its measured pace is in direct conflict with the relentless speed of the news cycle. This means that the loudest voices- which are not necessarily the most informed, or even sane, often dominate public commentary…Hence our use of carefully crafted uncertainty language, which is at odds with the fast and loose approach others are willing to take. Sensational clickbait always seems to win.’
Gergis outlines her argument early in the text- that an understanding and acceptance of the warnings from climate science, have to be met head on with an understanding and acceptance of climate change on every level- physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
To quote Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’: ‘Dispute it like a man. Macduff: I shall do so, / But I must also feel it as a man.’

‘Climate change is real and it is here, and it’s not going away. We need your help.’
Gergis expertly draws out the conclusions from IPCC reports and breaks this into straightforward, easily understood language, which makes the necessary action explicitly clear. ‘Right now, current policies in place today, will lead to 1.9-3.7°C of warming by the end of the century, with a best estimate of 2.6°C…the best-case scenario could see global warming stabilize between 1.4 and 2.8°C by 2100, with 2°C considered most likely. To have a chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C by 2100, global emissions need to halve by 2030.’
She draws out that the rate of climate change is almost entirely without precedent in the history of the planet and that the last 200 years and the rise of approx. 1.2°C since industrialization, which is around seven times faster than the average rate of warming since the last ice age, where the planet took around 5000 years to warm around 5°C. In short, instead of 0.1°C per century, the planet is now warming at approx. 0.1°C per decade. ‘The current speed of climate change is effectively without precedent in the entire geological record spanning 4.6 billion years. The only exception is the instantaneous meteorite strike that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.’

‘I face them because I must.’
The heatwaves and other climate events of July 2023 have forced the eyes of the public open to an issue, which for many, was ‘psychologically distant’ (to quote Prof Hayhoe). All of a sudden, what seemed a problem for children and grandchildren, was here and now. ‘We know that the planet is warming, but just how quickly and dramatically things are changing is stunning the scientific community.’ It is therefore no accident that Gergis quotes from the World Weather Attribution team- a team which has concluded that the recent heatwaves in Southern Europe were ‘virtually impossible without climate change.’ She additionally makes the case that the IPCC report also can now speak in more absolutes than they have before: ‘Perhaps our most significant conclusion is that it is now an established fact that human activities have altered all aspects of the climate system…In other words, humans are responsible for virtually all observed global warming.’
An aspect that appealed to me about this book was that once Gergis had summarised the scientific conclusions, she then explored what this might mean for individuals and indeed the impact on her herself as a scientist, being deeply immersed in the data. ‘I’m sure you’ll agree that thinking about climate change can be overwhelming. Thinking about it day in day out as a scientist can sometimes feel so crushing…I face these things not because I find it easy or comforting. I face them because I must.’

‘Averting planetary disaster is up to us.’
The first half of ‘Humanity’s Moment’ then, is Dr Gergis succinctly summarising the science that has led us to this point in a rational and reasonably detached manner. Although the book is structured into 3 distinct parts of ‘The Head’, ‘The Heart’ and ‘The Whole’, it felt to me that there was a sense of ‘How we got to this point’, followed by ‘What we do next.’ To truly understand what is at stake, we need to move out of the realm of the head, and into the wisdom of the heart.
The only flaw in Gergis’ approach was perhaps assuming that the scientific information and the rational approach would move people from their entrenched position of denying the impact and extent of climate change.
Gergis could not make it clearer when she writes, ‘It’s a very blunt warning that unless we drastically change course and cut emissions in half by 2030, and reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050, we are on track for catastrophic levels of warning that will profoundly alter all life on Earth.’ The sad point is that this statement still isn’t enough to mobilise the necessary climate action in time, leading Gergis to ask- can we muster the best of humanity in time?

‘The Lost World’
Gergis devotes time in her book to appreciating the beauty of nature and biodiversity and to signpost to others the importance of what can be saved, stating ‘We must re-establish our connection with the natural world, restore our care for the Earth and with it our humanity.’
It is relevant that Gergis also spends time exploring in detail the growing impacts of heatwaves and water crises that are crippling communities around the world, especially as multiple countries around the world are burning with heatwaves and wildfires.
But to appreciate the worlds that might be lost- which are being lost- individuals need to connect with nature spots around them. Gergis highlights several sites that offer her a connection to something larger than herself- whether this be the ocean and therefore ocean communities already suffering the impacts of climate change and forced to become ‘climate migrants’- the first of the projected hundreds of millions, depending on the pathway we choose.

‘The Culture of Uncare’
Gergis then moves into a fascinating space- that of the mental health impacts of the growing climate crisis. She purposefully quotes from Caroline Hickman and the University of Bath’s study, as well as Sally Weintrobe’s ‘Culture of Uncare’. Are governments doing enough to address the crisis? Are governments pretending to do enough? As Gergis states: ‘We know exactly what we need to do, but we still aren’t prepared to do it.’
What impact does this have on the young who will be left with a world that has been created for them by the actions of their elders, who appeared too selfish to care about them? Will we all be like Cain, Abel and Seth, bemoaning our exile from the Garden of Eden, based on the selfish actions of Adam and Eve?
‘The IPCC report clearly states that we know we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent between now and 2030 to keep this goal within reach.’

A new day is dawning
Gergis then completes her book by outlining multiple methods where people can take action and can usefully focus their energies to ensure that the message that people do care is a strong one. She argues, ‘We are witnessing the biggest social movement of our time…When we align our values with our actions, we are unstoppable.’
She defends the efforts of climate scientists who have been informing the public for decades and who in recent years have become climate activists in their own right- demonstrating that ‘activism’ should not be regarded as a pejorative, or a lazy slur used on social media.
‘I want you to know that there are scientists who really care about the future we are leaving our kids and their kids a thousand generations from now. We did all we could to warn the world. We tried to minimise the intergenerational damage. What happens next is up to all of us: who you vote for, what you buy, how you spend your brief time on this planet matter more than ever.’
Gergis concludes by arguing that the coming social revolution is inevitable and that positive urgent climate action, which does not rely on desperate technology that cannot be scaled up, is here, if we know where to look with open eyes. ‘This is humanity’s moment to right the wrongs of the past, to heal our relationship with each other and all life on Earth. We just need the moral compass of our shared humanity to guide us home.’
‘Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.’- Arundhati Roy

[Carly Dober · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for writing this book

[Glen Thickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and has read hundreds of peer reviewed climate related papers as part of her work preparing the IPCC report. This book summarises the state of the Earth's climate and the impacts that will have on habitats and humans. It's a grim outlook.

My twitter feed is full of shares of extinctions, degradation and climate impacts, yet I didn't realise the extent to which some change is already locked in. Even if humanity can reach net zero emissions.

The third book does show there is some hope. We have good, scalable renewable technology already. And plenty of people and artists are showing the way by telling the story of how bad things have become, and how worse still they can be.

We can all make a choice by being deniers, doomsayers (which I think I had become), or tell the story and seek to make change however small to stop using fossil fuels.

[Kimberly Thorson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great insight into the reality of climate change and its history. I enjoyed considering how climate change is also a humanitarian issue and is related to mamy of the other problems we face.
However, this book was extremely repetitive, with Gergis frequently saying literally the same things over and over. I would have appreciated less time discussing the well-known negative impacts of climate change and how sad this makes Gergis feel, and instead dedicate some more thought to how we can minimise climate change.
Nonetheless, this book was enlightening and I think the world would be a better place if more people read it.

[ML O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my most depressing & challenging reads, but a very important one at the same time. Working in education I was interested in this observation, "many young people from all over the world experiencing significant emotional distress related to climate change: they feel they have no future, that humanity is doomed, and that governments are not doing enough to address the crisis".

I felt in parts it was quite repetitive and for those "creative types" she acknowledges might struggle to read this tome, it probably could have been shortened to appeal to a much wider audience.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perspective that was fascinating and emotional to read. Joelle writes beutifully, giving voice to both our fears, grief and hope and drive to do something about climate change. A must-read for every person on this planet.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got hear Ms Gergis speak at Writer's Week last month. She spoke softly but powerfully about her work for the IPCC, putting the reports into layperson's language. The scientific language is very precise and often misinterpreted by the media, often for nefarious reasons. The first half of the book lays out the dire situation we find ourselves in. She points out that NO country with an advanced economy is doing enough to stop the Earth's climate to going into overdrive. "In 2009, an international group of scientists proposed a concept of 'planetary boudaries' to provide a framework for assessing humanity's global interference in the Earth's systems. Once breached these systems become unstable and operate dangerously. Research has shown that 4 of these boundaries have been breached: climate change, biodiversity loss, land use change and human interference with biogeochemical cycles - think heavy use of fertilizers . And very recent research shows that a fifth has just been breached - 'novel' entities - think plastics. Without a doubt scientists know the climate is changing and rapidly - much faster than recent forecasts from modeling just a few years ago. One interesting statistic she points out in relation to wild land and animals: wild animal populations have halved since the 1950's and more startling is the fact that 96% of mammals on Earth are made up of humans and the animals we eat. Let that sink in. When the 6th assessment of the IPCC's report came out in 2021, almost on cue, the world was staggering under unprecedented heat, flooding and draught. Rain fell for the first time in mid-Sumer at the centre of the Greenland ice sheet. Preparing these IPCC reports takes an enormous amount of time and energy of the hundreds of scientists who devote thousands of volunteer hours reading and collating these reports into a cohesive report. Most of the scientists, including the author do this as unpaid work, only receiving a small stipend and travel allowance to attend conferences (economy class and budget hotels). Speaking for herself, Ms Gergis tells of the emotional toll it takes on her psyche and felt she needed to put her emotions into the book as well. Scientists are known for and proud of their ability to related disturbing information in a straight manner without the slightest bit of emotion. She felt that the book needed to show her emotions because humans react more to emotion than facts. The hope of the subtitle of the book comes from her knowing that we can stop the temperature rising with technology here now: wind turbines and solar panels have come down in price so much over the past few years that in South Australia, for example, renewable energy is now the cheapest form of power available to the general public. And Australia has much land that can easily provide not only enough renewable energy for the whole populations needs but have power left over to send overseas. A cable has been proposed between Darwin and Singapore, such as the internet and communication cables already in place on the sea floors. The political will to build the infrastructure including more high transmission power lines is all that is needed to accomplish this. But she has no illusions about how difficult it will be to disentangle 'Big Daddy Oil' from politics across the whole of the Earth. But that it must be done and can be done if enough people power join this fight. She points out that in 2021 Denmark generated 65% of their total power needs from renewable sources and are on track to be 70% below 1990 levels of carbon emmissions by 2030. And there is a lot more packed into this relatively short book for such a complex subject, but in the end it is very succinct. It will provide one with very easy to grasp replies when having those difficult conversations with friends or relatives who've been blinded by the gas and coal industries through their friends in the media. A must read.

[Linda Cockburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like a heel writing this, clearly Joelle is a climate scientist who struggles, as many of us do, with climate grief, and I feel for her, but this book might have been better as an article or personal journaling. Her grief became repetitive and even a little infuriating when discussing dealing with it by getting on a plane and going on a holiday at the same time as imploring, 'what can I do?' It didn't help that I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was high-pitched with a rising inflection and a propensity to mispronounce words. It was difficult to keep listening. We don't need pathos., we need a positive story of who we might become.

Facts, especially frightening ones, are not good motivators. I admit to drifting off during the 'sky is falling!' list of impacts. We know. It's bad. I largely find it irrelevant these days to maintain a vigil around the perimeter. I believe most people are ready not for more bad news but real solutions.

But I persevered, hoping to arrive at some meaningful responses. They arrived as a hagiography of praise for renewable energy, which is a misnomer, while sun, wind and water are renewable the infrastructure we use to harness them are not, and we have only around 20% of the resources to build the 'renewable energy transition', we've been told will be our salvation. Even if we could it then requires replacing within 20-25 years . The superlatives around this myth were disconcerting. Almost within a breath of discussing renewable energy Gergis discusses the impact of colonialism - totally - I hear her, but she does not recognise that colonialism has not ended, it's just changed form, and the very countries and cultures she writes of are being held to ransom, polluted, impoverished and poisoned by our drive to fulfill our renewable energy fairy tale. A fairy tale as dangerous as fossil fuel. The impacts of mining are our next 'climate change'. It's largely a psychological ploy to keep us feeling like we're doing something, even as it makes things worse, but keeping the economic wheels grinding. Renewable energy is our next wave of denialism.

Then she mentions regenerative agriculture - now she's onto something! We need to adopt it, yes! But no, Gergis says we're all better off being vegans or vegetarians ... but regenerative agriculture uses cattle to increase carbon in the soil... And as chemical fertilisers are fossil fuel generated we're going to need to do what we've done in the past and integrate animals into an organic food system in order to maintain viable yields by recycling their poo, and utilising grass we can't eat into milk and meat. Doing so locks up carbon rather than liberate it, if we change our methods of production, and make it more humane at the same time.

Nowhere does Gergis mention that reducing our energy use is an option, or that our growth-based economic system makes moot any attempt to 'save the planet.'

Gergis is a good woman, no doubt about that, but there's nothing new in this book you haven't already heard and it continues to perpetuate myths that will lead to our downfall. It depressed the hell out of me.

[Barb Cherem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Gergis integrates a deep understanding of the earth's crisis, along with her personal emotional reactions that are identifiable by anyone who is aware of the realities of climate change, and species extinction, oceans warming, and all of the CO2 emissions at the root of these many impacts from the earth's illness.

As one of the original science authors of the International Planetary Commission, Gergis has both a personal/emotional reaction through her Australian experiences with heat, drought and climate, along with impeccable credentials in science as her three degrees in science arenas combine to give unparalleled scientific understanding. Additionally, she has an ability to communicate and write well to those of us who aren't as scientifically literate.

Bill McKibben has an over 60 yrs. of age group called "Third Chapter", and that volunteer group is educating the public on the urgency of these many impacts on the earth since the Industrial Revolution, and the heavy emissions impacting the earth's natural environment. The Power Point is complemented with Humanity's Moment study, so this is a central book to try understand the urgency and actions to change the course of impacts. Clearly the mitigation of such impacts is now the major focus. Those interested in environmental action will gain a greater understanding from the reading and study of the book. It makes a good book to dive up among readers as our "Third Chapter" study group did. It is a challenging climate story detailed in an honest manner, that's particularly difficult to digest both emotionally and cognitively. Nonetheless, an essential read for those who need to take action and truly understand what we're up against.

[Michelle Leech · Rating 4 out of 5]

A difficult and important read for anyone with a vested interest in the continued functioning of life as we know it.

Joëlle Gergis is one of the lead authors for the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. In her book, Humanity's Moment, she lays out the basics of climate change and its predicted impacts under the various warming scenarios. More than just numbers, however, she shares the sadness and feelings of hopelessness that sometimes overtake her on the front lines of this difficult work - and the feelings affecting the people around us.

'Many young people from all over the world reported significant emotional distress related to climate change... Many report pessimistic beliefs about the future, fearing they won't have access to the same opportunities their parents had, and that the things they value will be destroyed.'

Joëlle makes a clear case for a move away from fossil fuels. She says, 'According to Carbon Tracker's The Sky's the Limit report, just 0.3 per cent of the world's land surface needs to be covered in solar panels to provide humanity with all of its energy. That's less than the space taken up by fossil fuel infrastructure today.'

She also talks about how regenerating and protecting ecosystems is a crucial piece of the puzzle - as are we - 'When we uncover what it is that yearns to be expressed through us,' she writes, ' we transcend the confines of our personal circumstances and contribute to the power of the collective.'

While the problem feels too big to face, it's important to realise that together we've tackled massive threats before. When people unite, there are few limits to what we can achieve.

The trick is, although it's scary, we can't look away.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a very slim thread of hope in this work. I was looking forward to more than that but, well, it is what it is.

The author is an Austrailian climate scientist who is one of the many, many co-authors of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "Sixth Assessment Report" published in 2021. There is no doubt that Gergis knows whereof she speaks and what she says is grim, whether it is the current state of the climate, the climate forecast, or her own depression resulting from her studies. Even when she writes of "hope" it is surrounded by darkness.

Hope, in this context, lies in what COULD happen if a sufficiently large percentage of the population were to take direct action to affect change in society and, through that avenue, change in the political will of world leaders to act to stop adding CO2, methane, and other greenhouse gasses to the environment. I emphasize COULD because there is no guarantee that the sufficiently large percentage of the population taking action will ever exist or exist in time.

If it weeren't for my own cycnicism, making me doubt we will ever act together of the good of the planet and therefore ourselves, this work would deserve 5-stars.

[Jakob Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most important, impactful books I have read in recent memory.

The premise is this: a book that disseminates the current state of climate change, written by a climate scientist and lead author of the IPCC Sixth Assessment report. Importantly, it's more than scientific facts and figures. Humanity's Moment shares how Joëlle actually feels about where we're at, how we got here and the impact we're having on the planet. It speaks to the heart more than is permissible in the scientific, policy-informing documents produced in her role with the IPCC

It's hard not to be impacted by this book. I'm saddened by the irreparable damage we have done. I'm saddened by our slow response, given how long we have understood our role in climate change. Most of all, I feel helpless by not being in a position to drive meaningful change.

Like any good book, this one has got me thinking and reading further to understand my role in this all, how I can minimise my impact on the environment, and what I can do to have a positive impact.

[JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The world’s dominant economic model is capitalism, which rests on the exploitation of the planet’s natural resources and the poor for corporate profit, often with scant regard for the collective good or the wisdom of First Nations peoples. Since the end of World War II, capitalism has turned humans into consumers and the Earth into a giant quarry to generate wealth for people to live comfortable lifestyles, predominantly in rich nations.” (p.165)

This quote right here hits the nail on the head when it comes to human inequality that humans created. I wanted to be positive about the future reading this book but it was very hard. The climate emergency, widening social inequalities, combined with AI… the future is scary.

I’m giving this one 4/5 because I found some of the personal emotional commentary somewhat repetitive.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A heartfelt book combining climate evidence and the deep seated emotions we feel about our environment and how it is impacted by climate changes. As an Australian, many of the, now annual, disasters we face are related to climate change and are impacting the whole population. Yet still there is a lot of reluctance to change which is well covered in the book. But there are a lot of positives in the grassroots, political changes and corporate giants recognising that the future is not fossil fuel based. I have more hope than the author and I hope that I live to see the turnaround.

[Sophia Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like everyone should read this book. It breaks down the impact that climate change is having now, and the impact it can in the future. Very Australian focused. I did cry, because it was quite difficult to read, but it gave me a renewed sense of focus and purpose that climate change is THE cause to be working towards mitigating. She did give some really hopeful stories towards the end of how to make some kind of a difference, which I loved.

[Mikayla Imrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An equally sobering and hopeful book on climate change by an esteemed IPCC climate scientist. Gergis explains climate change in an easy to consume way, explaining the issues, how dire the situation is, how humans and ecosystems will be impacted and solutions we can adopt now. The book is filled with emotion, rare for a scientist but necessary for conveying the depth and seriousness of climate change.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Joelle Gergis for this fantastic book. What a powerhouse of knowledge you have about climate science. This book gave me even more insight into climate change and an appreciation for the scientific rigour and (often unpaid) work that went into the IPCC 6th Assessment Report. The state of our climate is truly a mess and it will only take a concerted effort from all of us to turn this mess around. The time for apathy and disengagement and living in our little bubbles is over if we want our children and our world to have a future. Thank you for being brave enough to share your worries and your moments of despair and for your message of hope.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was depressing which wasn't suprising but kinda hopeful. Also loved how it was kinda an autobiography and how she wrote about what is was like being a scientist writing the IPCC report cause I feel like people always look past the mental toll research puts on people especially when they can't just put it away after work ends for the day.

[Tori Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We must have the heart and courage to be moved by what we see."

This was a challenging, emotional, important read. The mix of devastating, cold hard facts and creative sensitivity helped me to contextualise and validate many of my own feelings towards the climate crisis. By two thirds through I felt a little like Gergis was preaching (and re-preaching) the same points to the converted, but irrespective of that, we should be so very grateful for her resilience in carrying out her work and for having the courage to write this eloquent and honest call to action.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great representation of the current climate pressures facing Australia. Very heavy content, but is alleviated by Joelle's own experiences and personal hardship throughout the book.
Would recommend, but not an easy read for most people.

[Ashley Gilgrist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really is a gift. What is happening to our planet can often leave us feeling despondent but giving up now will only lose us so much traction that we’ve already gained. It’s an important reminder to keep taking steps, no matter how small 🩵

[Eilish Hayman · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Part 2 was relatively compelling, although I think there could have been more exploration of the arts and creativity in connection to climate change.

But aside from that, I wouldn't recommend this book. It lacks concision, and I found it to be overly repetitive.

[Sami Ashcroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for learning more about the science of climate change from the perspective of a climate scientist. While this book was understandably bleak in some sections, it did do a good job of providing some hope and realistic goals for humanity.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!