The Climate Book

Thunberg challenges the idea that the extreme weather events are a “new normal,” arguing the weather is neither normal nor stable. Scientists had been modest in their predictions for climate instability, and many are disturbed at how quickly the climate crisis is advancing. Part 2 focuses on how the conditions on Earth are changing. It takes a holistic approach that stresses the interconnectedness of climate change issues and the need for holistic methods for addressing the problems. Humanity is doing little to nothing to prevent a climate crisis, and Thunberg wonders how the world might look if more people fought to protect the environment.

Katherine Hayhoe, a climate scientist, reiterates that greenhouse gases trap radiation in the atmosphere, raising the global temperature. Most people experience “global weirding,” or unexpected weather, like heatwaves. Due to changing weather patterns, atmospheric domes of hot air are stronger, and they deflect cooler air and precipitation, leading to dry, hot weather.

Heatwaves can kill animals and plants, bleach coral reefs, accelerate melting ice, and contribute to wildfires. If changes are not implemented to mitigate climate change, one-third of all life may become extinct by 2050. Humans, too, are vulnerable to extreme heat; it affects humans physically and psychologically and is correlated with increased violence and social instability.