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applegnreads's review against another edition
3.0
so as climate change ramps up the rich will get richer and the poor will die. so nice to know nothing will change. ugh.
korynorthrop's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting journalism exploring the various ways people/companies are cashing in on climate change. Kind of soul-crushing. Had to return to library, might try to finish the rest of it at a later date.
gdp60's review against another edition
4.0
A very different and new to me perpective on global warming. Eye opening.
inquiry_from_an_anti_library's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.0
Overview:
Climate change has become a business. From technology companies, to financial firms trying to profit from the changing environmental conditions. Society is preparing for the very climate change that society is creating. Adapting to the climate change, rather than mitigating climate change. Climate change is changing the political structure of the world. Challenging the sovereignty of states. For some nations, climate change is providing access to more resources. For others nations, their lands are threatened. Climate change is exacerbating the maldistribution of resources. There are winners and losers of climate change.
Innovations are developed to take on the effects of climate change, but technology tends to have negative consequences for the environment it is trying to ameliorate. The wealthier nations tend to not only be the biggest producers of greenhouse emissions, but also have the most resources to respond to the detrimental effects of climate change. Those with the resources can protect themselves against the detrimental effects.
Caveats?
As the author acknowledges, this is not a book about the science of climate change. This is a book about the responses to climate change. Following a diverse set of perspectives as they share their responses to climate change. There is a lack of systematic analysis on the problems, but does express what the problems are, and provides hints of complexity. The book is an introduction to understanding the changing environmental, economic, and political structure of climate change.
cannonshipman's review against another edition
5.0
This book is essentially the opposite of "ignorance is bliss" in that almost every time I read it I felt a little bit worse about the world around me. If you've read in the news about investing in water as it becomes more scarce and are interested in more stories like that, this is the book for you. It does a great job of showing was that people are seeking to profit off of our changing climate, sometimes in ways that are fighting climate change, sometimes in ways that embrace it and cause further damage to the environment, and almost always in ways that are inequitable, consistently benefiting those with money, be it countries or people.
Overall, this was a fascinating, extremely worrying read, and is the type of book I would read updates from in a heartbeat, considering how much has changed in the 9 years since it was written (or hasn't changed, in terms of climate change trajectory and responsiveness of governments).
Overall, this was a fascinating, extremely worrying read, and is the type of book I would read updates from in a heartbeat, considering how much has changed in the 9 years since it was written (or hasn't changed, in terms of climate change trajectory and responsiveness of governments).
cannonshipman's review against another edition
5.0
This book is essentially the opposite of "ignorance is bliss" in that almost every time I read it I felt a little bit worse about the world around me. If you've read in the news about investing in water as it becomes more scarce and are interested in more stories like that, this is the book for you. It does a great job of showing was that people are seeking to profit off of our changing climate, sometimes in ways that are fighting climate change, sometimes in ways that embrace it and cause further damage to the environment, and almost always in ways that are inequitable, consistently benefiting those with money, be it countries or people.
Overall, this was a fascinating, extremely worrying read, and is the type of book I would read updates from in a heartbeat, considering how much has changed in the 9 years since it was written (or hasn't changed, in terms of climate change trajectory and responsiveness of governments).
Overall, this was a fascinating, extremely worrying read, and is the type of book I would read updates from in a heartbeat, considering how much has changed in the 9 years since it was written (or hasn't changed, in terms of climate change trajectory and responsiveness of governments).
squirrelfish's review against another edition
4.0
A good read, interesting in the breadth of industries he explores, and interviews from different perspectives, definitely worth a read/listen for someone interested in green jobs or climate change in general. I liked the discussions of private fire companies, and the brief history lesson there, as well as the exploration of patenting geoengineering ideas with Myrvhold's Intellectual Ventures. The farm land purchases in advance of climate change reminds me of the old speculative land purchases trying to predict railroads, and I wonder if these weather models will be more or less accurate? Overall, interesting and somewhat inspiring - there are definitely businesses to be built in anticipation of these changes.
venkyloquist's review against another edition
3.0
Global Warming is a threat that is as potent as any other dreadful calamity that can be envisaged as striking Earth in the near future. In spite of agenda backed opposition consisting of a phalanx of optimists who make a living pooh poohing ecologists, environmentalists and activists as naysayers, prophets of doom and inveterate pessimists, the fact that we are staring at an environmental disaster (predominantly man made) of gargantuan proportions is unmissable.
However can Global Warming trigger an upward shift in the monetary fortunes of a few daring and intrepid ‘prospectors’ willing to place impetuous bets on Climate Change? Are there people like that in the first place? Combining wicked wit and a wealth of research McKenzie Funk in this unique and revelatory book introduces us to a mind numbing world of pioneering profiteers, fascinating fund managers, boisterous business magnates and Wall Street experts who aspire to strike gold by pledging their bets on the topical phenomenon of Climate Change.
Traveling extensively to places obvious and obscure, Funk introduces us to an amazing group of people who make a literally booming business out of Global Warming. The dangerously melting Arctic is exploited by fund managers and oil majors alike to create pathways (The Northern Passage) and to drill deep for flushing out what is expected to be a treasure trove of oil and natural gas – an exercise that will resolve the woes of fuel guzzling carbon emitting powers in the higher north of the Globe.
Funk travels with a Wall Street raider to the dangerous and strife torn country of South Sudan where the former in a series of innovative and inventive deals with the rebel General procures hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile arable land at the cost of displacement and death suffered by hapless indigenous people. A precipitously rising sea level in island nations such as the Maldives, Kiribati and Tuvalu offers immense potential to Dutch engineering companies to peddle mind numbingly complex and gravity defying solutions such as the creation of entire floating cities – sprawling megapolises with stilts that are impervious to rising and gushing flows of water! Funk also gives us a ringside view of the scientific empire of the business tycoon Nathan Myhrvold, whose obsession with Geoengineering knows no limits or barriers even though the benefits arising out of such a process is to say the least – riddled with questions and credible doubts.
Funk does not despise the tactics or the strategies employed by these people in carving out personal and corporate fortunes by staking myriad claims permeating climate change. He only asks every stakeholder to engage in a thorough, realistic and reasonable introspection. He exhorts us to stop treating the subject of global warming as a Zero-sum game. Every winner need not prosper at the cost of a helpless and mutely obliging loser. Global warming and climate change makes no exception. It impacts all of us as part of a well-integrated and tightly knit humanity. Collaboration instead of commercial completion is the only lasting solution.
All the global stakeholders will do well to assimilate this message and act on it sooner rather than later if Mother Earth has to have a future.
However can Global Warming trigger an upward shift in the monetary fortunes of a few daring and intrepid ‘prospectors’ willing to place impetuous bets on Climate Change? Are there people like that in the first place? Combining wicked wit and a wealth of research McKenzie Funk in this unique and revelatory book introduces us to a mind numbing world of pioneering profiteers, fascinating fund managers, boisterous business magnates and Wall Street experts who aspire to strike gold by pledging their bets on the topical phenomenon of Climate Change.
Traveling extensively to places obvious and obscure, Funk introduces us to an amazing group of people who make a literally booming business out of Global Warming. The dangerously melting Arctic is exploited by fund managers and oil majors alike to create pathways (The Northern Passage) and to drill deep for flushing out what is expected to be a treasure trove of oil and natural gas – an exercise that will resolve the woes of fuel guzzling carbon emitting powers in the higher north of the Globe.
Funk travels with a Wall Street raider to the dangerous and strife torn country of South Sudan where the former in a series of innovative and inventive deals with the rebel General procures hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile arable land at the cost of displacement and death suffered by hapless indigenous people. A precipitously rising sea level in island nations such as the Maldives, Kiribati and Tuvalu offers immense potential to Dutch engineering companies to peddle mind numbingly complex and gravity defying solutions such as the creation of entire floating cities – sprawling megapolises with stilts that are impervious to rising and gushing flows of water! Funk also gives us a ringside view of the scientific empire of the business tycoon Nathan Myhrvold, whose obsession with Geoengineering knows no limits or barriers even though the benefits arising out of such a process is to say the least – riddled with questions and credible doubts.
Funk does not despise the tactics or the strategies employed by these people in carving out personal and corporate fortunes by staking myriad claims permeating climate change. He only asks every stakeholder to engage in a thorough, realistic and reasonable introspection. He exhorts us to stop treating the subject of global warming as a Zero-sum game. Every winner need not prosper at the cost of a helpless and mutely obliging loser. Global warming and climate change makes no exception. It impacts all of us as part of a well-integrated and tightly knit humanity. Collaboration instead of commercial completion is the only lasting solution.
All the global stakeholders will do well to assimilate this message and act on it sooner rather than later if Mother Earth has to have a future.