Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet
Hannah Ritchie
‘Truly essential’ MARGARET ATWOODFeeling anxious, powerless or confused about the future of our planet. This book will transform how you see our biggest environmental problems – and how we can solve them. It’s become common to tell kids that they’re going to die from climate change. more
352 pages, Hardcover
First published Little, Brown Spark
4.41
Rating
590
Ratings
115
Reviews
Hannah Ritchie
2 books 57 followers
Hannah Ritchie is deputy editor and research leader at Our World in Data, an online publication making data and research on the world's largest problems accessible and understandable for non-experts. She is a senior researcher at the University of Oxford, where she studies how environmental issues intersect with others like poverty, global health and education. She has also done extensive research into the question of how to feed everyone in the world a nutritious diet without wrecking the planet. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, Al Jazeera, The Economist and New Scientist.In 2022, Ritchie was named Scotland's Youth Climate Champion. Her forthcoming book, The First Generation, makes an evidence-based case for why we have a meaningful chance to solve global environmental problems for the first time in human history.
Community reviews
I found Hannah's case for optimism from our dire predicament quite strenuous and unconvincing, and she constructed a lot of straw men in the book in order to make her points. Her use of data in her book was selective to say the least. I also noted a number of inaccuracies (or at least significant divergencies from my own understanding of our predicament). She has also struggled to justify a lot of the positions she adopted in her own book. The section on de-growth was particularly ill informed, and the idea that renewables can replace fossil fuels, simply fanciful. more
This book needs a lot more attention from the younger generations. It's an honest, fact based discussion about what's important, what's exaggerated, what's a big problem and what's just a distraction. Facts, numbers and science aimed at the people who will HAVE TO change the current system into a sustainable one. Hannah is picking up Hans Rosling's legacy and carrying it into the future. Hell of an undertaking and she's off to a smashing start. more
I am sorry because I wanted to like this book. I am not a climate doomer, I am hopeful for the future and a fan of books like Rebecca Solnit's Hope In The Dark, but this book is truly terrible. It gets a wide range of basic facts very wrong - it doesn't realise that climate change will affect the ozone layer; it regards air pollution as a problem of at least as much severity as climate change; it thinks whales are out of the woods now we've stopped hunting them (no mention of sea temperatures or acidification); it doesn't really care if all pollinators die; it accepts we are on a trajectory for Permian level extinction in thousands of years but "have time to turn this around"; it doesn't mention that plastics are made from fossil fuels; it doesn't even mention major problems like water shortages; it proposes veggie burgers as a solution to hunger over resource redistribution. I could go on; there are other serious problems with it I won't detail here, and an awful lot of misdirection and fallacious arguments. The 4. more
We are bombarded by doomsday headlines that tell us the soil won't be able to support crops, fish will vanish from our oceans, that we should reconsider having children. But in this bold, radically hopeful book, data scientist Hannah Ritchie argues that if we zoom out, a very different picture emerges. The data shows we've made so much progress on these problems, and so fast, that we could be on track to achieve true sustainability for the first time in history. There are lots of references to studies, but basically, it's still easy to understand. I can't say I really read anything that I had not heard before, but it was told in more understandable detail. more
Fake news, “alternative facts”, a contempt for experts and the substitution of strange conspiracy theories for argument and debate are all part of a worrying trend. In the USA where this seems to have originated it has become genuinely difficult to establish facts about many things. For those of us who were inspired by the Enlightenment this is depressing, it as if superstition has returned and science no longer matters to many. Nowhere is this more important than in the field of climate change. Sadly this is another of those contested spaces where the lunatics, from both sides of the divide have taken over the asylum. more
How do you alert people to the seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, while not making them feel despairing or helpless. When you want people to take action, is it better to inspire them or scare them. This is the dilemma that Not the End of the World addresses. It does not shy away from the problems but shows the progress we have already made and highlights where we can go next. Quoting Max Roser, Ritchie points out that it can be simultaneously true that “The world is much better; the world is still awful; the world can do much better”. more
There are some interesting insights here, and data driven journalism can be used to highlight how many environmental metrics have turned a corner in recent years,BUTthis book is oversimplified at best and dangerous at worst. It starts by paraphrasing Factfulness, a book which rested entirely on the premise that because demographic metrics have improved, they will therefore continue improving (and let's ignore their cost to the planet). This is a logical fallacy, and Not the End of the World takes this fallacy and applies it wherever possible. Renewables are getting cheaper and more efficient, therefore we'll be able to replace fossil fuels by mid-century. CO2 emissions per capita are falling, therefore CO2 emissions will soon start falling. more
If, like me, you are interested in the environment and climate change, then this book sits really well alongside other similar books. It has a much more positive outlook than, for example, the Climate Book by Greta Thunberg. But the Climate Book contains much more detail on the wide range of associated issues. I would advise reading them both and others. My take away points were burn less and eat less beef and dairy. more
This book addressed so many of my concerns around Climate Change and was so helpful at having a better understanding of the current state of things. Hannah Ritchie's openness about her thoughts throughout the book were much appreciated and added a lot of context. I highly recommend this book. more
Really great read. Really should be recommended for Gen Z and Millennials who suffer from paralysis due to fears about climate change. Hannah Ritchie knows her stuff--listen and read. more
I absolutely adored this book. I wish I could gift it to all my peers. Hannah Ritchie opens by laying out a conceptual framework for the book that resonates deeply with me: 1) the world is awful 2) the world is much better and 3) the world can be much better. One of the most frustrating aspects of modern society is that we are drowning in negative information that only focuses on #1, never engaging at all with #2 and #3. This is understandable - for the first time in human history, we can see everything happening everywhere all at once, much of it bad. more
Not the End of the World (2024) by Dr Hannah Ritchie is a very good book that provides a data driven view of the world’s big environmental problems, how we’re dealing with them and how they can be solved. Ritchie is the research leader at the superb site Our World in Data. The book starts off with a description of how Ritchie got to where she is. She did a degree in Environmental Geoscience and initially thought that the world was doomed. She then encountered the work of Hans Rosling and it made her reconsider her views. more
Probably a 3. 5 but bumping due to the nature of the material. It’s a great overview and provides important context. I really liked the way the book was structured. There were a few places I wanted the author to talk more about and others I questioned. more
Nice cover, nice title, nice lead but… so thin on arguments. This is a collection of obvious thinking available all around, which could make a nice series of Linkedin posts. . more
As a rational optimist myself, I look for books such as this regularly, and I’ve been waiting for this one for several months now. Unfortunately, I found this book to be pedantically, written and needlessly repetitive. But for someone who is new to the subject, or the stance which this author takes, I would still recommend it. more
"Many changes that do profoundly shape the world are not rare, exciting or headline-grabbing. They are persistent things that happen day by day and year by year until decades pass and the world has been altered beyond recognition. . . . more
This is so thought provoking and inspiring. Highly recommend to all humans. . more
A balanced analysis of the current climate concerns that gives historical background to things like global warming, sustainability etc and brings good news as well as the bad news we're all accustomed to hearing. At times I felt I needed to be more of a scientist to keep up with the threads of detail, so it isn't particularly a light read but I don't suppose you'd pick this book if you were expecting a breezy book. more
* Education in environmental science seemed to teach no good trend lines. * Hans Rosling convinces Ritchie there was hope. * Zoom out, don't zoom in on problems. * Ritchie is no climate change denier. * Doomsday narratives do more harm than good. more
An excellent and accessible book outlining the progress we've made on addressing seven key environmental challenges and taking a data-driven approach to explaining what work is still to be done. It assumes that you are either a persuadable doomer or generally concerned with the environment without necessarily being an expert. I think people of either persuasion would learn a lot from this book, even if they don't necessarily agree with everything in it. The book basically assumes that you are on the metaphorical ledge and need to be talked down. It does not downplay the challenges or deny that they exist, but it does directly challenge the idea that we cannot do anything or that we have not made progress. more
In her book, "Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet," Hannah Ritchie, a data scientist, sets out to change the way we think about the environment. She's guiding us through the often confusing and gloomy world of environmental discussions, shining a light of hope and offering some practical solutions amid all those scary predictions we keep hearing about. Ritchie's book is a treasure trove for those feeling overwhelmed by the current climate crisis narrative. With her insightful and data-driven approach, she dismantles common misconceptions and fear-inducing headlines. It's an eye-opening read that addresses key questions and doubts about sustainability, offering a more nuanced and optimistic view of our environmental future. more
The climate crisis is a terrifying thing. An anxiety inducing thing. A 'lie down on the floor and consider that the future is hopeless and futile' kind of thing. Luckily, Hannah Ritchie's smart, sensible and practical book about why things AREN'T quite as hopeless as we might think, is the perfect antidote. Let me be very clear: Ritchie is not here to pat you on the back and tell you it'll be okay. more
Hopeful read. There are solutions to air pollution, climate change, deforestation, food, biodiversity, ocean plastics and overfishing. Starts every chapter debunking a doomsday stat I feel like I've heard at some point, and ends every chapter clarifying misconceptions. Loved the data heavy, zoom-out approach to reviewing environmental problems. Favorites parts- costs to build/run solar and onshore wind power plants are now cheaper than coal and gas. more
A very pragmatic approach to achieving sustainabilityWhile Ritchie is passionately committed to sustainability, she also constructs her arguments with a healthy dose of common sense from her native Scottland (e. g. Thomas Reid, Adam Ferguson, Dugald Stewart, James Beattie). As a result she succinctly prioritizes the most important means of achieving a return on sustainable investments by society and identifies trends and issues where people shouldn’t stress out. This book is accessible and helpful for people with a wide range of views on sustainability stretching from skeptics to the most passionately committed. more
‘We zijn niet gedoemd. We kunnen werken aan een betere toekomst voor iedereen. Laten we die kans waarmaken’(P. 314). Must-read als je af en toe het gevoel hebt dat deze wereld niet meer te redden is. more
Some climate hopefulness backed up with proper data is inspiring and exactly what this movement needs. In a week after the dust has settled in my brain I’ll be reading the critique that I’ve deliberately pushed away from my feed while reading. I hope it’s not too bad because I love being in this optimistic state of mind. . more
Goes on my select shelf of books covering how to be a decent human being, think clearly and remain sane. . more
I'm so glad I found this book. The doomsday narrative that the media and other groups are pushing these days are pretty depressing and paralysing, and I definitely had a 'what's the point' mindset. But this book has given me so much hope and a real motivation to change what I can to move towards a more sustainable world. Can we fix the damage we've done up until now. Not entirely, but we absolutely have the power to prevent it getting worse and I find Hannah's approach to focus on what we can do, rather than what we've messed up so much more helpful. more
I think everyone should read this book that has any amount of climate anxiety and thinks the climate crisis is as bleak as the headlines say. more