Why does it feel like the world has made so much progress on addressing global warming, but also none at all? In H Is for Hope: Climate Change from A to Z, Elizabeth Kolbert, a longtime environmental journalist, delves into hard questions like this one. She explains that while governments are passing climate-friendly laws, clean energy is expanding, and companies are developing green technologies, fossil fuel emissions continue to rise. Kolbert’s latest book, beautifully illustrated by Wesley Allsbrook, offers a quick and entertaining read.
A is for Svante Arrhenius, a Swedish scientist who pondered the causes of ice ages and built the world’s first climate model in 1894, focusing on carbon dioxide. B is for Greta Thunberg’s sarcastic “blah, blah, blah,” summing up three decades of global climate conferences. C is for capitalism, which plays a role in the lack of progress at these conferences.
Kolbert, a staff writer at The New Yorker and author of several books including The Sixth Extinction, grounds the issue of climate change in tangible experiences. In H Is for Hope, she ventures into a 106-degree-Fahrenheit vault during an experiment and visits various locations to understand the impact of climate change firsthand.
In a conversation with Grist, Kolbert addresses the concept of hope in the face of climate change, emphasizing the need for action over mere optimism. She discusses her exploration of different narratives around climate change and the challenge of conveying its complexity in her latest book.
For Kolbert, the key lies in presenting climate change coverage in a way that is enjoyable and visually engaging, despite the seriousness of the topic. By providing a fresh perspective through H Is for Hope, she aims to inspire readers to rethink conventional narratives surrounding climate change and spark meaningful action.
