Best Climate Change Books

This must-read #1 New York Times bestseller delves into the potential horrors of global warming beyond just rising sea levels. The Uninhabitable Earth offers a powerful travelogue of the near future and a thought-provoking meditation on how it will impact our lives. Get ready for a transformation in global politics, the role of technology in the modern world, the sustainability of capitalism, and the trajectory of human progress. With a new afterword, this is also an impassioned call to action for our generation to avoid a catastrophic fate.

In this gripping thriller, the American Southwest is ravaged by drought, causing Nevada and Arizona to fight over the dwindling Colorado River. Las Vegas water knife Angel Velasquez is sent to investigate rumors of a new source in Phoenix, where he meets journalist Lucy and migrant Maria. As bodies pile up and alliances shift, their only hope for survival is each other. But in a world where water is worth more than gold, the truth is brutal and someone will have to bleed to quench their thirst.

Explore the undeniable impact of climate change on our world in On Fire, a compelling collection of essays by international bestselling author Naomi Klein. Klein argues that a Green New Deal is the key to creating a just and thriving society in the face of rising ecological threats. From the Great Barrier Reef to post-hurricane Puerto Rico, Klein shows how urgent climate action is needed to transform the systems that produced this crisis. Written in a prophetic and philosophical style, On Fire is a rousing call to action for a planet on the brink.

A riveting work of dramatic history that tells the human story of climate change, Losing Earth takes readers back to the late 1970s and follows a group of scientists, politicians, and strategists who risked their careers to convince the world to act before it was too late. The book reveals the birth of climate denialism, the genesis of the fossil fuel industry's coordinated effort to thwart climate policy through misinformation propaganda and political influence, and the long shadow of our past failures. A must-read for anyone concerned about our shared plight.

This book dives into the controversial and talked-about story of a group of scientists and advisers who ran effective campaigns to mislead the public and deny scientific knowledge about climate change, smoking, acid rain, and the ozone hole. These "experts" denied well-established scientific studies, claiming that the science was "not settled." This book sheds light on the individuals who supplied doubt, and how they had deep connections in politics and industry.

In "New York 2140" by Kim Stanley Robinson, readers are transported to a vibrant and flooded metropolis in the 22nd century. Despite being submerged, New York City maintains its bustling atmosphere and culture. Through the perspective of diverse characters in one building, Robinson explores how cities will adapt to rising tides and how residents will change. This thought-provoking science fiction novel from a New York Times bestselling author is sure to captivate readers with its unique vision of the future.

The Sixth Extinction is a profound analysis of the current global extinction event, predicted to be the most catastrophic in history. Elizabeth Kolbert, a New Yorker writer, explores the reasons for the event, the species that have already vanished, and how human activities have altered life on Earth in unprecedented ways. This Pulitzer Prize-winning book is a moving and comprehensive account of the disappearances that are happening right now, compelling us to question what it means to be human in the face of ecological catastrophe.

Enter the rural life of Dellarobia Turnbow, a restless farm wife who gave up her own plans when she accidentally became pregnant at seventeen. After a decade of domestic disharmony on a failing farm, she seeks momentary escape through an obsessive flirtation with a younger man. On a hike behind her house, she encounters a shocking sight: a silent, forested valley filled with what looks like a lake of fire. As the community lines up to judge the woman and her miracle, Dellarobia confronts her family, her church, her town, and a larger world, in a flight toward truth that could undo all she has ever believed. Flight Behavior is a compelling novel that deftly dissects the motives that drive denial and belief in a precarious world affected by climate change.