Second paragraph of third chapter:

In most places in the world, the air is moist and fresh, even in cities. It feels a lot like walking through a forest, and very likely this is exactly what you are doing. The air is cleaner than it has been since before the Industrial Revolution.

Published in 2020, and reflecting on decades of climate negotiations (Figueres was one of the key people behind the 2015 Paris Agreement), this is a surprisingly upbeat book, very clear about the scale of the climate crisis and the devastating consequences for humanity if we don’t get a grip on it, but also clear that there are things that can be done at national, local and individual levels which will all make a difference. Not preachy, very digestible. You can get The Future We Choose here.

I wonder how the authors would assess the situation six years on. The book came out just before the pandemic, which of course showed us that massive disruptions to our economic well-being are entirely possible, and natural disasters linked to climate change have been stacking up. The USA has largely turned its back on the fight against climate change. But at the same time, China, Europe and the growing economies of the middle income countries are pushing ahead with a shift to renewable energy and more sustainable economic practices. So I think stubborn optimism is still appropriate.

This was both the top unread book on my shelves acquired in 2022, and the shortest unread book acquired that year. Next on those piles respectively are Mantel Pieces, by Hilary Mantel, and Religion and the Politics of Identity in Kosovo, by Ger Duijzings.