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The Post Carbon Reader: Managing the 21st Century's Sustainability Crises
This diverse collection by best-selling authors, renowned scientists, and experienced activists is an engaging and practical book that will be of interest to the lay reader as well as university students in both graduate and undergraduate courses.
The expert contributors to The Post Carbon Reader were asked to unflinchingly describe the deep and interconnected sustainability crises confronting humanity in the 21st century—and then give readers concrete steps for addressing those crises.
This unprecedented collection of writings (34 essays, 4 previously published) is an honest, informed and engaging exploration of the most challenging issues of our time. It includes chapters by best-selling authors like climate activist Bill McKibben, renowned scholars like "ecological footprint" co-founder William Rees, and up-and-coming experts like urban food systems pioneer Erika Allen. Lead editor Richard Heinberg is the world's leading author of mass-market books on fossil fuel dependence and depletion. Heinberg says, "We've run out of time, natural resources and capital, so this is our only chance to get things right."
The expert contributors to The Post Carbon Reader were asked to unflinchingly describe the deep and interconnected sustainability crises confronting humanity in the 21st century—and then give readers concrete steps for addressing those crises.
This unprecedented collection of writings (34 essays, 4 previously published) is an honest, informed and engaging exploration of the most challenging issues of our time. It includes chapters by best-selling authors like climate activist Bill McKibben, renowned scholars like "ecological footprint" co-founder William Rees, and up-and-coming experts like urban food systems pioneer Erika Allen. Lead editor Richard Heinberg is the world's leading author of mass-market books on fossil fuel dependence and depletion. Heinberg says, "We've run out of time, natural resources and capital, so this is our only chance to get things right."
552 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2010
42 people are currently reading
1004 people want to read
About the author
Richard Heinberg
51 books95 followersRichard William Heinberg is an American journalist and educator who has written extensively on energy, economic, and ecological issues, including oil depletion. He is the author of 13 books, and presently serves as the senior fellow at the Post Carbon Institute.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 2, 2011
I really liked this book and the tone of it. It's a series of essays written by leading experts in various fields ranging from basic climate change to education, health care, energy, etc. The essays are short and very readable, and usually get straight to the point.
The authors have a good grip on what is happening now, and offer suggestions for what might be a good direction to head in the future. The suggestions are much more realist than idealist, and emphasize that we are beyond the prevention stage, time to make our battle plan for the reality of global climate change and a much altered future.
Highly recommended book for anyone with an interest in any of the 16 topics covered, because if you read about one of them, you may flip through and read the rest! A great overview of some of the largest problems facing us as a species.
The authors have a good grip on what is happening now, and offer suggestions for what might be a good direction to head in the future. The suggestions are much more realist than idealist, and emphasize that we are beyond the prevention stage, time to make our battle plan for the reality of global climate change and a much altered future.
Highly recommended book for anyone with an interest in any of the 16 topics covered, because if you read about one of them, you may flip through and read the rest! A great overview of some of the largest problems facing us as a species.
May 8, 2019
I was underwhelmed by this book, for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I picked it up knowing that there was a chapter on population, and I figured that I would be able to skim through there without needing to agree with an analysis that includes population control as a fundamental part of the analysis of the wide spread of authors in this anthology. That was not the case, however. This was unfortunate, as population control solutions are rooted in racist solutions and an incorrect analysis of who has caused the crises we face. In addition, many of the other underlying solutions proposed fail to name class enemies and what the roots of our problems are. That being said, some of the chapters do have a good racial justice analysis and propose awesome steps that can be taken (especially in systems like waste, transportation, and healthcare, which are not really top priorities for many folks working on transforming the energy system at the moment).
May 23, 2015
Wide-ranging collection of essays on the issues and alternatives a post-carbon world would face - agriculture, food systems, alternative energy, housing, transportation, urban design, population growth and density, governance, etc.
December 27, 2010
This book promises to illustrate the interconnected challenges that humanity faces in the near future (read:TODAY) while at the same time providing concrete actions that can be taken to mitigate them and prepare. The wide ranging essays do indeed cover the gamut; climate, biodiversity, energy, economics, pollution, population, food, water etc are all thoughtfully addressed, sometimes to the point of repetition.
I will say however, that the takeaway any thinking person should have is that the odds of even a small number of these very real issues being adequately/decisively addressed is slim at best, and thus the tendency to end each topic with a little punch list of stuff that "can be done" seems hollow. If the real carrying capacity of the planet is 2 billion, what's gonna happen when the other 4 billion people get a pink slip? How does widespread war, famine, and environmental collapse not create a vicious feedback loop that few can escape? Even Chris Martenson's more useful chapter on personal preparation "for what's coming" pulls its punches. I was shocked to see what he really thinks on his website.
I tend to agree with James Lovelock (you should Google his recent interview with the BBC), who coined the term "Gaia" to name his concept of looking at planets as holistic systems. He claims that every research who connects multiple systems to make predictions fails to recognize how much more interconnected they in fact are. As such I think this book fails to connect the dots it has somewhat comprehensively collected together. Maybe it is intended to be a palatable primer on global challenges, but it is arguably the lack of alarm that average people feel that will be our undoing. I have a three year old, so I don't take this failing lightly.
I will say however, that the takeaway any thinking person should have is that the odds of even a small number of these very real issues being adequately/decisively addressed is slim at best, and thus the tendency to end each topic with a little punch list of stuff that "can be done" seems hollow. If the real carrying capacity of the planet is 2 billion, what's gonna happen when the other 4 billion people get a pink slip? How does widespread war, famine, and environmental collapse not create a vicious feedback loop that few can escape? Even Chris Martenson's more useful chapter on personal preparation "for what's coming" pulls its punches. I was shocked to see what he really thinks on his website.
I tend to agree with James Lovelock (you should Google his recent interview with the BBC), who coined the term "Gaia" to name his concept of looking at planets as holistic systems. He claims that every research who connects multiple systems to make predictions fails to recognize how much more interconnected they in fact are. As such I think this book fails to connect the dots it has somewhat comprehensively collected together. Maybe it is intended to be a palatable primer on global challenges, but it is arguably the lack of alarm that average people feel that will be our undoing. I have a three year old, so I don't take this failing lightly.
May 19, 2015
This is a collection of many essays and articles written by many of the great thinkers on climate change and sustainability issues. For the most part it's pretty informative, and I'm glad I gave it a look. If you want to learn about the myriad ways our society depends on the environment, the ways we're undermining that, and how we could do better, it's a great resource. You can pick it up now and again and just read a section at a time, so don't be turned off by how thick the book is.
The one criticism I'll bring is that too many of the articles tend toward the touchy-feely "the earth is beautiful and we must save her virgin naturalness" messages. I agree with this well enough but it doesn't help me learn. I was hoping for a higher density of hard data on climate impacts and more concrete studies on what can be done to make things better. That said, that is definitely present in a lot of the articles, just not all of them, so I still think it's very worthwhile.
The one criticism I'll bring is that too many of the articles tend toward the touchy-feely "the earth is beautiful and we must save her virgin naturalness" messages. I agree with this well enough but it doesn't help me learn. I was hoping for a higher density of hard data on climate impacts and more concrete studies on what can be done to make things better. That said, that is definitely present in a lot of the articles, just not all of them, so I still think it's very worthwhile.
August 8, 2020
Having read The Uninhabitable World, it felt as if something a little more authoritative and measured might be in order. The Post Carbon Reader is that. Written 10 years ago with a sense of urgency about the scale of the problems we were already facing back then, in the decade since we've done nothing and the problems depicted are yet more evident. Coronavirus, anyone?
William E. Rees' chapter, The Human Nature of Unsustainability, goes a long way to explaining why we are likely doomed and is a must-read.
William E. Rees' chapter, The Human Nature of Unsustainability, goes a long way to explaining why we are likely doomed and is a must-read.
September 15, 2022
3.5-4.0
"The Post Carbon Reader" continues my near constant examination of environmental sustainability literature to see what can be done to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, and how I can do my part. I wouldn't say the essays are bad (at worst some are depressing but that's the climate crisis for you) but many of them do feel dated (the book came out in 2010 and I read this in 2022) and many of the ideas they espouse didn't get picked up/didn't anticipate regrettable societal trends. Had I read this around the time of publication, I feel like I would have been more receptive/engaged in them.
All the same, The Post Carbon Reader is a good read for any sustainability professional or climate activist. The themes that these essays explore remain very relevant (maybe more so than 12 years ago) and a few really kept my attention where others could not. I'm definitely feeling more inspired to follow up on Chris Martenson's work on personal preparation/resilience and Rob Hopkins' work on community transitions to resilient/post-carbon societies.
While I can't say "The Post Carbon Reader" is essential reading for climate-minded folks in the 2020s due to its dated feel, the ideas and themes still resonate in an age of growing climate disasters and the subsequent sustainability responses. If anything I think the Post Carbon Institute should release a new volume of similar works.
"The Post Carbon Reader" continues my near constant examination of environmental sustainability literature to see what can be done to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, and how I can do my part. I wouldn't say the essays are bad (at worst some are depressing but that's the climate crisis for you) but many of them do feel dated (the book came out in 2010 and I read this in 2022) and many of the ideas they espouse didn't get picked up/didn't anticipate regrettable societal trends. Had I read this around the time of publication, I feel like I would have been more receptive/engaged in them.
All the same, The Post Carbon Reader is a good read for any sustainability professional or climate activist. The themes that these essays explore remain very relevant (maybe more so than 12 years ago) and a few really kept my attention where others could not. I'm definitely feeling more inspired to follow up on Chris Martenson's work on personal preparation/resilience and Rob Hopkins' work on community transitions to resilient/post-carbon societies.
While I can't say "The Post Carbon Reader" is essential reading for climate-minded folks in the 2020s due to its dated feel, the ideas and themes still resonate in an age of growing climate disasters and the subsequent sustainability responses. If anything I think the Post Carbon Institute should release a new volume of similar works.
October 16, 2017
A collection of insightful essays that gives you an inside look on city planners, environmentalists, psychologists, and sociologists ideas on different topics from economic to environmental about how our world these days, is changing.
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June 30, 2019A very comprehensive collection of papers from various authors on the many related subjects of sustainability.
October 10, 2023
great interdisciplinary book on how everything is impacted by our environment
October 27, 2011
Overall, "The Post Carbon Reader" is a great primer on sustainability. Organized as an anthology, each section of essays covers major topics in sustainability, such as climate, energy, water, transportation, food, and waste. It also includes a small, brief section on Transition Towns. Each author uses relatively lay terms to explain sustainability, which is excellent for people who lack significant background in the topic, but leaves those of us who actually study sustainability, yearning for more.
The sections on water and biodiversity were particularly disappointing. (On a book about sustainability, why would you devote only ONE essay to water?!) On the other hand, the sections on climate and energy provided relatively thorough overviews of the issues, which should remind you where the priorities of the Post Carbon Institute lie.
On the whole, I'm glad I took the time to read all 523 pages of the book. I may even go out and buy my own copy to replace the library item I have right now. However, the scope of the book is not truly comprehensive, as its editors implicitly claim. If a second edition were to be published, I would encourage the editors to consider diversifying the authorship (i.e. looking outside of the Post Carbon Institute for contributors) or strengthening their research efforts on the books current "weak" issues, such as water and biodiversity. I would read and review that version, too.
The sections on water and biodiversity were particularly disappointing. (On a book about sustainability, why would you devote only ONE essay to water?!) On the other hand, the sections on climate and energy provided relatively thorough overviews of the issues, which should remind you where the priorities of the Post Carbon Institute lie.
On the whole, I'm glad I took the time to read all 523 pages of the book. I may even go out and buy my own copy to replace the library item I have right now. However, the scope of the book is not truly comprehensive, as its editors implicitly claim. If a second edition were to be published, I would encourage the editors to consider diversifying the authorship (i.e. looking outside of the Post Carbon Institute for contributors) or strengthening their research efforts on the books current "weak" issues, such as water and biodiversity. I would read and review that version, too.
May 17, 2016
"Bacteria on a petri dish with sugar simply go for it. Fruit flies in a flask with mashed-up bananas just go for it. Deer without a predator just breed and live and expand. I think what humans have is the powerful capacity to create abstractions—and one of the most important abstractions we ever invented was the one that allows us to ignore that our petri dish has a wall. It's called capitalism, growth."
The topic of this book could not be more relevant to us now (2016), but unfortunately for the authors and readers, much of the writing that informs this topic is based on science that changes really quickly. Even though this was published just a few years ago, a large chunk of it is out of date. Be careful, though, when skipping over text you might just miss some true gems. The essays about climate change as a concept or how waste management is a big part of our current mitigation efforts are excellent and pertinent to our current struggles.
"Can conservation and restoration of place become a universal language between cultures and generations?"
The topic of this book could not be more relevant to us now (2016), but unfortunately for the authors and readers, much of the writing that informs this topic is based on science that changes really quickly. Even though this was published just a few years ago, a large chunk of it is out of date. Be careful, though, when skipping over text you might just miss some true gems. The essays about climate change as a concept or how waste management is a big part of our current mitigation efforts are excellent and pertinent to our current struggles.
"Can conservation and restoration of place become a universal language between cultures and generations?"
November 23, 2015
If I could force people to read one book, I think it would be this one. That's a weird thing to say, isn't it? It's an even weirder compliment to give a work. But here's the thing: this book, divided up into numerous essays on many different aspects of climate change, sustainability, and other eco-topics, is well argued and well constructed. This is eco-reading that's on an entirely different scale; very little attention is paid to any of the soft, fluffy appeals to "mother earth" or "the beautiful web of life."
Instead, you've got solid facts, statistics, hypotheses, results, and proposed solutions. "This is the shit that's coming, this is what we should do to mitigate it. You can go hug some trees later, we've got serious work to do."
At times, it veers towards some seriously dense conceptual discussion, but it's worth the mental effort. I'm glad I put the time in to study this topic for a while and I think you'd be well served to do the same.
Instead, you've got solid facts, statistics, hypotheses, results, and proposed solutions. "This is the shit that's coming, this is what we should do to mitigate it. You can go hug some trees later, we've got serious work to do."
At times, it veers towards some seriously dense conceptual discussion, but it's worth the mental effort. I'm glad I put the time in to study this topic for a while and I think you'd be well served to do the same.
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August 10, 2016We're really glad to see that so many people have enjoyed
The Post Carbon Reader
!
If you'd like to connect with other readers and the contributors to this book, be sure to visit our pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Most of the book (as well as some extras) is now available for free download at postcarbonreader.com. You can also find some of our related videos there, including our ever-popular 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds.
Daniel Lerch
Publications Director
Post Carbon Institute
If you'd like to connect with other readers and the contributors to this book, be sure to visit our pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Most of the book (as well as some extras) is now available for free download at postcarbonreader.com. You can also find some of our related videos there, including our ever-popular 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds.
Daniel Lerch
Publications Director
Post Carbon Institute
September 6, 2011
Remarkable book. Analysis by multiple authors of our current state with fossil fuel limitations vs the environment vs the recession. I am reading some chapters again because there is so much information. The earth is getting warmer and we are now absorbing only 20% of our carbon production. This is something that we all are going to have to deal with at some time. Better to look closely at it now because it appears that it is only going to get worse. There is a section on food storage and the importance of using other than 'big box" stores for all our food and just doing something to limit our own fuel use. Ways to save money now.
May 3, 2011
This was actually one of the best books I've read so far regarding sustainability. There are a lot of great authors that are doing great work. This was the first book to really give you hope. It may be a slow process, but I think we have a chance of entering into a post carbon world with some ease. At least I hope. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in sustainability or just curious. It is easy to read and very informative.
May 21, 2012
I liked this collection of essays quite a bit. I found many fascinating and concise excerpts detailing the challenges that we as a species will face in the future post-carbon world. I highly recommend this to people of a progressive mindset and I'm not confident that the book would be as well received by those with an inherently opposed worldview. For this reason, I am afraid books like this preach to the choir.
Read
August 3, 2013Currently I've read 4 of the essays all the way through, and skimmed the rest. Current opinion: this is the book I want to do a discussion seminar on. It's fantastically solutions focused, and also eminently practical. Are there topics missing or which could have more depth? Sure - but that's what the seminar is for. Worth buying even though you can download a lot of it for free.
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May 14, 2015Reading PCR for a Sustainable Development class. It is a book you can jump around while reading, picking topics that interest you and skipping others without losing too much substance. Great overview of all things sustainable, brushing on a lot of aspects, while aiding in further learning if a topic peaks your interest. Still working my way through it, but it's excellent so far.
May 31, 2021
The Post Carbon Reader provides a collection of groundbreaking, thought-provoking and challenging essays from different perspectives and disciplines on the "moral challenge of our times" which is climate change and the crises posed to all life on Earth.
This is a must read for all of us concerned with the future of our planet and life on Earth.
This is a must read for all of us concerned with the future of our planet and life on Earth.
June 10, 2012
This is one of the most comprehensive and informative books I've read about sustainability. I didn't always agree with the conclusions, but the authors gave me plenty to think about and explore further.
January 4, 2011
Absolutely the most useful, best written of the sustainability/peak oil/relocalization texts on the market. A must own.
May 2, 2011
Class text.
April 25, 2011
Pretty good - this book is a compilation of essays be different authors all writing about different aspects of the challenges that need to be coped with in the fact of climate change and peak oil.
July 5, 2011
fantastic book - a "sustainability bootcamp" in a book
shelved
September 9, 2011An interesting title on sustainability, the amazon website provides some more detail and a 'look inside', check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Post-Carbon-Rea...
March 31, 2012
Excellent series of essays on the global post-carbon era and what we need to do face the challenges of peak oil and diminishing economic and ecological resources.
January 8, 2013
Thoroughly depressing
October 18, 2013
Exhaustive and a bit idealistic.
April 7, 2014
It's an uneven book with good chapters and bad chapters. Be careful. This book claims we have already reached peak oil when really we haven't (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews