Apocalypse Never

Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All

De: Michael Shellenberger

Narrado por: Stephen Graybill

Now a National Bestseller!

Climate change is real but it’s not the end of the world. It is not even our most serious environmental problem.

Michael Shellenberger has been fighting for a greener planet for decades. He helped save the world’s last unprotected redwoods. He co-created the predecessor to today’s Green New Deal. And he led a successful effort by climate scientists and activists to keep nuclear plants operating, preventing a spike of emissions.

But in 2019, as some claimed “billions of people are going to die,” contributing to rising anxiety, including among adolescents, Shellenberger decided that, as a lifelong environmental activist, leading energy expert, and father of a teenage daughter, he needed to speak out to separate science from fiction.

Despite decades of news media attention, many remain ignorant of basic facts. Carbon emissions peaked and have been declining in most developed nations for over a decade. Deaths from extreme weather, even in poor nations, declined 80 percent over the last four decades. And the risk of Earth warming to very high temperatures is increasingly unlikely thanks to slowing population growth and abundant natural gas.

Curiously, the people who are the most alarmist about the problems also tend to oppose the obvious solutions.

What’s really behind the rise of apocalyptic environmentalism? There are powerful financial interests. There are desires for status and power. But most of all there is a desire among supposedly secular people for transcendence. This spiritual impulse can be natural and healthy. But in preaching fear without love, and guilt without redemption, the new religion is failing to satisfy our deepest psychological and existential needs.

A bit too personal but thought-provoking

This book really brought me new perspectives on climate change. It helped me developing a more nuanced approach to the question. It is well structured and offers ample scientific background material. It challenged my assumptions on nuclear energy and the many other usual evils, and such as plastic. I disagree with the author on some points but I would still recommend the book to anyone who wants to better understand how we might face the challenges linked to climate change from a global point of view.

Unfortunately, the author sometimes sounds like a disgruntled Democratic party member (he ran as a Democrat in the primary gubernatorial election of 2018). The long-winded complaints about the Obama administration, democratic officials and other environmental activists felt useless. I was more interested in the big picture than personal resentment.

Open eyes & mind

He communicates his devotion as well as his skepticism to Climate Change. Optimism is alive and well in these pages, giving the next generation hope and freedom to appreciate and care for nature.

Superb and engaging

This book is phenomenal. It’s balanced, clear eyed, logical and still very human. I listened to it in a single day because I just couldn’t stop. I will be listening to it again. Shellenberger isn’t someone I universally agree with but only a fool would waive off his reasoning - you’ll have a better formed opinion by listening, understanding and then formulating your thoughts no matter where you are on the climate debate. Truly a top notch work and the reader was excellent too! Stephen Graybill is very easy to listen to with excellent clarity and good intonation throughout. Listen to it, read it.

You must read it!

Anybody who is concerned about environment or human impact on it —must read this book. When you done, you can feel purified of media brainwashing.

Fantastic Introduction to a Major Current Issue

I really appreciated all the research and support the author provided for his conclusions. This was well-researched and persuasive.