The solutions we have and the breakthroughs we need
Bill Gates is not a climate scientist - yet he is the ideal author of a book on how to prevent climate catastrophe. In his book, he presents a radical but thoroughly grounded thesis: Stopping the growth of emissions, or even reducing them a little, is not enough to maintain the current state of nature and life on Earth. It is necessary to get emissions to zero. Does that sound unrealistic? Gates' main message may surprise you even more: We can do this. Gates openly admits that scientific knowledge has its limits. Nevertheless, the book manages to elucidate the main mechanisms of ongoing climate change and determine how much various aspects of human activity, such as transport, are contributing to it (spoiler: not so much), agriculture or construction. However, merely cutting back is not enough to bring about the much needed turnaround - even the global pandemic of covid-19 failed to reduce emissions by more than 5%. Gates therefore gives an insight into the current outlook for technological research, from alternative energy sources to methods of capturing emissions in the atmosphere. It offers guidance on how to effectively address and discuss this extraordinary challenge at all levels - personal and political. This book is not only for those suffering from environmental anxiety, but for all of us
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