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Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis
In this sweeping work of science and history, the renowned climate scientist and author of The New Climate War shows us the conditions on Earth that allowed humans not only to exist but thrive, and how they are imperiled if we veer off course.
For the vast majority of its 4.54 billion years, Earth has proven it can manage just fine without human beings. Then came the first proto-humans, who emerged just a little more than 2 million years ago—a fleeting moment in geological time. What is it that made this benevolent moment of ours possible? Ironically, it’s the very same thing that now threatens us—climate change. The drying of the tropics during the Pleistocene period created a niche for early hominids, who could hunt prey as forests gave way to savannahs in the African tropics. The sudden cooling episode known as the “Younger Dryas” 13,000 years ago, which occurred just as Earth was thawing out of the last Ice Age, spurred the development of agriculture in the fertile crescent. The “Little Ice Age” cooling of the 16th-19th centuries led to famines and pestilence for much of Europe, yet it was a boon for the Dutch, who were able to take advantage of stronger winds to shorten their ocean voyages.
The conditions that allowed humans to live on this earth are fragile, incredibly so. Climate variability has at times created new niches that humans or their ancestors could potentially exploit, and challenges that at times have spurred innovation. But there’s a relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable. And our survival depends on conditions remaining within that range.
In this book, renowned climate scientist Michael Mann will arm readers with the knowledge necessary to appreciate the gravity of the unfolding climate crisis, while emboldening them—and others--to act before it truly does become too late.
For the vast majority of its 4.54 billion years, Earth has proven it can manage just fine without human beings. Then came the first proto-humans, who emerged just a little more than 2 million years ago—a fleeting moment in geological time. What is it that made this benevolent moment of ours possible? Ironically, it’s the very same thing that now threatens us—climate change. The drying of the tropics during the Pleistocene period created a niche for early hominids, who could hunt prey as forests gave way to savannahs in the African tropics. The sudden cooling episode known as the “Younger Dryas” 13,000 years ago, which occurred just as Earth was thawing out of the last Ice Age, spurred the development of agriculture in the fertile crescent. The “Little Ice Age” cooling of the 16th-19th centuries led to famines and pestilence for much of Europe, yet it was a boon for the Dutch, who were able to take advantage of stronger winds to shorten their ocean voyages.
The conditions that allowed humans to live on this earth are fragile, incredibly so. Climate variability has at times created new niches that humans or their ancestors could potentially exploit, and challenges that at times have spurred innovation. But there’s a relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable. And our survival depends on conditions remaining within that range.
In this book, renowned climate scientist Michael Mann will arm readers with the knowledge necessary to appreciate the gravity of the unfolding climate crisis, while emboldening them—and others--to act before it truly does become too late.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2023
177 people are currently reading
1403 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 1, 2024
Well, I guess I'm glad I read this, and I don't feel badly in the least (OK, I'm ecstatic) that the author made a few pennies in royalties from my purchase, but, overall, this (the book, the enterprise, the thesis) didn't really resonate with me. And, frankly, I'm not sure who the target audience would be....
Yes, yes, I remain a fan of Mann's research and, arguably more importantly, his ability to communicate relevant concepts and advocate with regard to the incredibly important work that needs to be done with regard to (not only adapting to but) mitigating climate change. But I'd be hesitant to recommend this book to someone starting (or early in) their journey through the climate change literature, nor did I find it particularly helpful from the perspective of a typical policymaker.
Is the work a remarkably impressive collection of research? Yes. Is it presented in a (relatively) clear and organized and (somewhat) accessible manner? Sure. Does it offer potentially significant advice for someone who works through the whole, determined to glean some meaningful takeaways? Almost certainly. And, OK, as an academic, I found the inside perspective (who did the research and whose tutelage led them down which path) interesting, but ... I'm guessing that's background noise to most readers.
Ultimately, it says a lot (and, alas, frankly, nothing good) about where we are as a society, who are politicians (or so-called leaders) are, what the major political parties stand for, how our media behaves, etc. ... that, for many, Mann is increasingly known as a key voice in the hopers versus doomers debate, and, along with Katharine Hayhoe (author of Saving Us, which I strongly recommend), pre-eminent in the hopers camp. And, while I can't quibble with Mann on the science ... I'm not yet persuaded that: The greatest threat is no longer [climate change] denialism... but rather doomism, the notion that it's too late to act. Indeed, my gut says that the most ardent purveyors of doom are the deniers who increasingly find that their tried and true arguments (or disinformation campaigns) increasingly fall on deaf ears but now find (much to their delight) that fatalism is the new denialism. But what do I know?
I don't mean to make light of this. To the extent that I'm frequently writing and talking about these issues, I fully concede that reaching people, making them think about the topic, convincing them to learn more or care or ... in those rare cases ... change their behavior ... well, ... decoding the doom versus hope equation plays a critical role. These days, I find myself acknowledging the debate but encouraging folks to do their best to (recognize that the debate is background noise and) get past that as soon as possible.
However you get there, I agree with Mann that: we have a massive challenge on our hands.... [and that] there is no point beyond which we shouldn't keep trying to limit warming. Every fraction of a degree matters to the level of suffering that [present and future] climate disruption will rain down on us.
Whether this is the book ... the vehicle, the message, bridge, the key ... that convinces readers of that incredibly important point, frankly, I just don't know.
Yes, yes, I remain a fan of Mann's research and, arguably more importantly, his ability to communicate relevant concepts and advocate with regard to the incredibly important work that needs to be done with regard to (not only adapting to but) mitigating climate change. But I'd be hesitant to recommend this book to someone starting (or early in) their journey through the climate change literature, nor did I find it particularly helpful from the perspective of a typical policymaker.
Is the work a remarkably impressive collection of research? Yes. Is it presented in a (relatively) clear and organized and (somewhat) accessible manner? Sure. Does it offer potentially significant advice for someone who works through the whole, determined to glean some meaningful takeaways? Almost certainly. And, OK, as an academic, I found the inside perspective (who did the research and whose tutelage led them down which path) interesting, but ... I'm guessing that's background noise to most readers.
Ultimately, it says a lot (and, alas, frankly, nothing good) about where we are as a society, who are politicians (or so-called leaders) are, what the major political parties stand for, how our media behaves, etc. ... that, for many, Mann is increasingly known as a key voice in the hopers versus doomers debate, and, along with Katharine Hayhoe (author of Saving Us, which I strongly recommend), pre-eminent in the hopers camp. And, while I can't quibble with Mann on the science ... I'm not yet persuaded that: The greatest threat is no longer [climate change] denialism... but rather doomism, the notion that it's too late to act. Indeed, my gut says that the most ardent purveyors of doom are the deniers who increasingly find that their tried and true arguments (or disinformation campaigns) increasingly fall on deaf ears but now find (much to their delight) that fatalism is the new denialism. But what do I know?
I don't mean to make light of this. To the extent that I'm frequently writing and talking about these issues, I fully concede that reaching people, making them think about the topic, convincing them to learn more or care or ... in those rare cases ... change their behavior ... well, ... decoding the doom versus hope equation plays a critical role. These days, I find myself acknowledging the debate but encouraging folks to do their best to (recognize that the debate is background noise and) get past that as soon as possible.
However you get there, I agree with Mann that: we have a massive challenge on our hands.... [and that] there is no point beyond which we shouldn't keep trying to limit warming. Every fraction of a degree matters to the level of suffering that [present and future] climate disruption will rain down on us.
Whether this is the book ... the vehicle, the message, bridge, the key ... that convinces readers of that incredibly important point, frankly, I just don't know.
October 6, 2023
I enjoyed this book. Mann doesn't just present data and facts; he crafts a narrative that bridges eons. He does a fine job of explaining climate change questions like: how did we get here, and more importantly, where are we headed? Here's a bit of what I gathered:
The Good Stuff:
Historical Context: Mann does a commendable job weaving past climate events with our current predicament. Knowing where we came from gives context to where we might be headed.
Accessible Language: You don't need to be a climate scientist or a historian to get the gist. Mann keeps the jargon minimal, making it approachable for folks just dipping their toes into climate discourse.
Solutions-Oriented: It’s refreshing that the book isn't all doom and gloom. Mann provides actionable suggestions that range from policy adjustments to personal choices. It's like having a map in a maze; you might not get out instantly, but at least you've got some direction.
The Not-So-Great Bits:
Pacing Issues: At times, it felt like I was on a roller coaster of information. Some sections had me gripping the edge of my metaphorical seat, while others... let's just say I could've used a coffee.
Repetitiveness: There were moments when Mann hammered a point a bit too much. It's like when someone tells you the same story at a party for the third time. Yes, repetition can be good for emphasis, but there's a limit.
Broad Strokes: While the book does a good job generally, I sometimes wished for more specifics. It's like being given a puzzle with some pieces missing. You get the picture, but you can't help but wonder about those gaps.
Overall, “Our Fragile Moment” gives an insightful peek into Earth's climate history and how it parallels our current crisis. If you're curious about where we've been and where we could be headed in terms of climate, it's worth a read. Just maybe keep that coffee close by for some of the slower bits.
The Good Stuff:
Historical Context: Mann does a commendable job weaving past climate events with our current predicament. Knowing where we came from gives context to where we might be headed.
Accessible Language: You don't need to be a climate scientist or a historian to get the gist. Mann keeps the jargon minimal, making it approachable for folks just dipping their toes into climate discourse.
Solutions-Oriented: It’s refreshing that the book isn't all doom and gloom. Mann provides actionable suggestions that range from policy adjustments to personal choices. It's like having a map in a maze; you might not get out instantly, but at least you've got some direction.
The Not-So-Great Bits:
Pacing Issues: At times, it felt like I was on a roller coaster of information. Some sections had me gripping the edge of my metaphorical seat, while others... let's just say I could've used a coffee.
Repetitiveness: There were moments when Mann hammered a point a bit too much. It's like when someone tells you the same story at a party for the third time. Yes, repetition can be good for emphasis, but there's a limit.
Broad Strokes: While the book does a good job generally, I sometimes wished for more specifics. It's like being given a puzzle with some pieces missing. You get the picture, but you can't help but wonder about those gaps.
Overall, “Our Fragile Moment” gives an insightful peek into Earth's climate history and how it parallels our current crisis. If you're curious about where we've been and where we could be headed in terms of climate, it's worth a read. Just maybe keep that coffee close by for some of the slower bits.
November 7, 2023
Warning: this may not be an easy read for general readers. It is dense and very scientifically written. Saying that I learned a great deal. It traces evidence from the geologic record and the beginning of our history to describe climatic change. The distant past can explain some of the present. It also gives a reader a better understanding how climate has changed since the beginning of the industrial age that is a marked change fro previous time. I found it balanced and less extreme than many books. Glad I made time for it but I repeat is is not an easy read so be prepared.
October 6, 2023
A nice overview of the story between Earth’s history and its climate, and the lessons we can use towards preventing further climate disaster. The wrap up towards the end sends a serious but hopeful message about what we can do to save ourselves.
I usually have a hard time getting through science reads sometimes because they tend to be dry (even when they’re interesting) but I didn’t find that to be the case here! I was able to stay engaged and I appreciated the journey the book took the reader on.
I usually have a hard time getting through science reads sometimes because they tend to be dry (even when they’re interesting) but I didn’t find that to be the case here! I was able to stay engaged and I appreciated the journey the book took the reader on.
October 8, 2023
A Must Read
With unprecedented climate change happening all around us, we need to be better informed so that we understand the implications and can make informed decisions.
This book is a must read because Mann provides historical context and provides hope for the future.
With unprecedented climate change happening all around us, we need to be better informed so that we understand the implications and can make informed decisions.
This book is a must read because Mann provides historical context and provides hope for the future.
October 4, 2023
Many, many thanks to NetGalley and PublicAffairs for the ARC.
I was very excited to have the opportunity to read this. It is extremely well done. It is "work" to read this. Be prepared. But what else could possibly be more important? I hope this reaches young and experienced readers. I learned so much from this author. And this will require a second reading.
We need to know and better understand our planet's history and climate trajectory. This is worth the time. Highly recommended.
I was very excited to have the opportunity to read this. It is extremely well done. It is "work" to read this. Be prepared. But what else could possibly be more important? I hope this reaches young and experienced readers. I learned so much from this author. And this will require a second reading.
We need to know and better understand our planet's history and climate trajectory. This is worth the time. Highly recommended.
October 1, 2023
This book presents the reality of our warming climate. Michael Mann gives us the history of the changing climate, including pre-man, the dawn of humans, the hockey stick model, and into 2023. He presents how much the climate could heat up and what the consequences would be for each fraction of a degree.
The solution will need to be global and the result of joint political, industrial, and individual efforts. Either the warming will be slowed, or we will face massive species and habitat loss.
The solution will need to be global and the result of joint political, industrial, and individual efforts. Either the warming will be slowed, or we will face massive species and habitat loss.
September 18, 2023
Our Fragile Moment was a major feat of scientific study and reporting. Looking back at the paleontological history of the planet to determine what caused climate changes through the past eons and how this will inform us of our current climate warming seems to be to be a tremendous undertaking. But Michael Mann dove right into the past, and wow, I learned (or tried to learn) so much from this work. I cannot wait to purchase a hard copy so that I can mark and learn even more. I highly recommend this book if you want to look at the ancient history of the earth and how we are faring compared to these past eons. Thank you, Net Galley, and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC.
October 23, 2023
Hefty but amazing read.
This book is deep. It's heavy. I'm still rereading it, and it is going to take me a few reads to fully understand everything. I took several astronomy courses, and understand how planets form, and what life looks like in various stages. I am also currently self-teaching biology, botany, ecology, and more. I would consider myself a novice who is not starting from 0. This is a advanced undergrad (300-400 class minimum) or graduate-level read.
It is also excellent. Amazingly well written, well cited. It is clear that the author is an accomplished PhD in his field. I'm still reeling from the Gaia Theory and the Medusa Theory. Snowball earth was something I'd heard of but not understood fully, and the great dying is something we've already showed our son (who is three) in the timeline of everything book. To get more context and a deeper understanding of the earth's history, and why we have evidence of this information was absolutely mind-blowing.
It's worth the read if you really want to understand the context of where our planet is today compared to the past.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and am giving my review honestly and voluntarily.
This book is deep. It's heavy. I'm still rereading it, and it is going to take me a few reads to fully understand everything. I took several astronomy courses, and understand how planets form, and what life looks like in various stages. I am also currently self-teaching biology, botany, ecology, and more. I would consider myself a novice who is not starting from 0. This is a advanced undergrad (300-400 class minimum) or graduate-level read.
It is also excellent. Amazingly well written, well cited. It is clear that the author is an accomplished PhD in his field. I'm still reeling from the Gaia Theory and the Medusa Theory. Snowball earth was something I'd heard of but not understood fully, and the great dying is something we've already showed our son (who is three) in the timeline of everything book. To get more context and a deeper understanding of the earth's history, and why we have evidence of this information was absolutely mind-blowing.
It's worth the read if you really want to understand the context of where our planet is today compared to the past.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and am giving my review honestly and voluntarily.
October 4, 2023
Our Fragile Moment reads like a friend who is trying to get you home. Mann addresses the history of our planet, giving perspective to the enormity of what we have facing us in the present, and most importantly…a clear map to climate stabilization, navigation unclouded by denialism or doomerism. If you seek a clear understanding of Climate forward course correction, this is the essential book.
April 25, 2024
had to read for a class and I really didn’t like it. I have a masters degree in earth science teaching in addition to a bachelors degree in ecology and environmental science and it was very hard to follow along
December 3, 2023
Finished. I was somewhat disappointed. Not written for the generalist, and more a drive-by of academic climate scholarship w little thematic continuity.
May 5, 2024
Insofar as this is an assessment of various paleoclimates and their application to modern anthropogenic climate change, it is excellent. A background in climate science, or at least some general scientific literacy, is probably neccesary for this book to sink in.
On the spectrum of doomer to hopium-huffer, this one falls in the optimistic camp, if optimistic to you means we are likely not headed to an annihilation of all earthly life. It is my opinion that Mann, like many in this camp, underestimates the fragility of modern society. Will humankind go extinct? Not likely. Will our gasping, fraying planet crush the human population to a fraction of its early Twenty-first Century maximum? Probably. Will the survivors inhabit a fundamentally altered world? One defined by brutality, desperation, loss, and survival? Maybe. And I don't blame Mann, he's a paleoclimate scientist speaking to his expertise. In the final chapter, he *does* interpret the more "mild" climate change that scientific evidence supports, speaking on the intensifying changes we've observed in the 2020's and their societal impact. But I just can't help but feel it's not enough. Maybe this is just the natural line where science yields to philosophy and ontology, and so I digress. This book's purpose was to identify climate analogs and to extract relevant information, and it does a commendable job of doing just that.
((Lastly, the final accusation that "republicans" are the primary foe to climate policy is laughably over-simplified...))
On the spectrum of doomer to hopium-huffer, this one falls in the optimistic camp, if optimistic to you means we are likely not headed to an annihilation of all earthly life. It is my opinion that Mann, like many in this camp, underestimates the fragility of modern society. Will humankind go extinct? Not likely. Will our gasping, fraying planet crush the human population to a fraction of its early Twenty-first Century maximum? Probably. Will the survivors inhabit a fundamentally altered world? One defined by brutality, desperation, loss, and survival? Maybe. And I don't blame Mann, he's a paleoclimate scientist speaking to his expertise. In the final chapter, he *does* interpret the more "mild" climate change that scientific evidence supports, speaking on the intensifying changes we've observed in the 2020's and their societal impact. But I just can't help but feel it's not enough. Maybe this is just the natural line where science yields to philosophy and ontology, and so I digress. This book's purpose was to identify climate analogs and to extract relevant information, and it does a commendable job of doing just that.
((Lastly, the final accusation that "republicans" are the primary foe to climate policy is laughably over-simplified...))
November 14, 2023
Incredibly scientific and in some ways you just have to get through it. But the message and the evidence backing it is extremely important.
September 23, 2023
'I've seen things you people wouldn't believe... Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain... Time to die.'
Rutger Hauer's character from 'Blade Runner', Roy Batty, closes the film with a philosophical reflection on humanity and the precious power of memory and moments. For Distinguished Professor Michael Mann, the last words of this quotation are problematic. He is known for serious, cautious, evidence led work, rather than sensational 'doomer' tactics, so 'Our Fragile Moment' is not a dirge or eulogy. Instead, this is an accessible, engaging book, which details how we have arrived at this ‘absolute fragility of this moment in time’; compares our present time with extinction events in the past; and explores what solutions we have currently at our disposal.
Lessons from the past
The lesson from the past that Mann opens with is that every species and civilisation has its moment, but that ‘Thanks to the efforts of those [fossil fuel] corporations, we’re now coming up against the boundary of habitable life for us humans.’ Mann describes the present as ‘the absolute fragility of this moment in time’, but emphasises that although climate change is a crisis, it remains a ‘solvable crisis’. Mann is known for scientific rigour and he is clear that scientific uncertainty, by itself, is no bad thing, as it is part of the process that leads to greater understanding- as indeed, scientific exploration always has. He states,
‘We must embrace scientific uncertainty. The scientific process builds on itself. New data come to light that help us refine our understanding.’
Is it then ‘Time to die’, from the earlier ‘Blade Runner’ quotation? Mann acknowledges that this is the ‘big question on everybody’s mind: Are we doomed?’ Although a fatalistic reader may expect a clear answer that our civilisations are doomed, as global temperatures continue to rise and climate events become more noticeable as we inch towards 1.5°C above the pre-industrial levels, Mann makes it emphatically clear that ‘it is entirely up to us.’
He makes the repeated and clear point that the challenge in implementing climate action is down to political will, rather than not knowing the solutions. ‘We have sophisticated technology today that we can employ in an effort to adapt to climate change…
Most importantly, we have the technological know-how to decarbonize the global economy, moving away from the harmful burning of fossil fuels toward clean energy and climate-friendly agricultural and land use policies. The obstacles here aren’t technological. They are political.’
‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’
Mann charts the climate impacts that have shaped the paleoclimate past of our planet and the devastating impact that some of them had on the life-forms present at the time from the Permian- Triassic extinction- ‘estimated ninety percent of all Permian species disappeared from the face of the planet’- to the impact of 65 million years ago. ‘From sixty-six million years ago, when our distant rodent-like ancestors crawled out from the shadows of the dinosaurs, to five million years ago, when our less-distant primate ancestors came down from the trees to hunt on ancient African savannas, climate has shaped us.’
He focuses on the impact of human ancestors migration and settlement. ‘Our species, Homo sapiens, had finally made the transition from nomadic to sedentary existence. We had learned to cultivate food crops and raise livestock.’ Mann investigates various cultures and civilisations such as the Sumerians, Romans and Anasazi and cautions against naming one factor as the deciding factor in the decline of empires. ‘Now, we must be wary of climate determinism: the notion that every significant historical event, every societal origin or collapse, can be interpreted entirely through the lens of climate change. We must always appreciate the complexities of human behavior and sociopolitical dynamics that effect societal changes.’
He cautions that humans ‘delved too greedily and too deep’ and as a result, awakened the ‘Balrog’ of the fossil fuel industry. ‘We helped create our fragile moment, a stable global climate upon which to build the infrastructure of human civilization. We should have stopped while we were ahead. But we went further. We constructed an industrial civilization that was entirely dependent on fossil fuels.’
He optimistically suggests that ‘We also have distinct advantages over the past civilizations… because, unlike them, we have the ability to anticipate the future.’ and that we should see the collapse of other civilisations as cautionary tales in how to manage the inevitable mass migration that will follow. Mann quotes Andrew Harper, an adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, [who] argued that “climate change is reinforcing underlying vulnerabilities and grievances that may have existed for decades, but which are now leading to people having no other choice but to move.”
The ‘known unknowns’
Mann switches the focus to exploring the ‘known unknowns’ of climate stability, as he evaluates the twins of climate resilience and climate fragility. He makes the argument that knowing how far away climate ‘tipping points’ are can be difficult to predict. ‘As we continue to burn fossil fuels and generate atmospheric carbon pollution, we’re pushing the planet harder and harder. The question is, how long before we’ve pushed too hard?’
He comments that this ‘unknown’ should give humanity pause: ‘That fact should give us pause as we continue to recklessly warm our planet with carbon pollution.’
Mann warns that pressing the ‘reset’ button on the climate after our damage, will not restore what has been lost. The ice sheets, once lost, will remain lost in human timelines. Likewise, the ocean conveyor belt won’t suddenly come back after a collapse.
‘Even if we warm the planet up enough to melt the ice sheets, there’s a chance we could cool the climate back down over the next century… But it’s not as if the ice sheets will return. They’re done. It would take millions of years to bring them back…
A similar thing holds with the great ocean conveyor. If that circulation pattern collapses due to warming and we cool the climate back down, that circulation pattern doesn’t come back.’
How risk tolerant can we be with this one Earth?
Mann opens up a fascinating point when exploring the comparisons with our carbon pollution behaviour nowadays with ‘the Great Dying’ of the Permian-Triassic extinction. He argues that as our focus is usually on the catastrophic extinction levels, we sometimes forget that ‘life finds a way’ and that some species both survived and thrived in their own ‘fragile moment’ ‘The question on your mind won’t be, “Why did ninety-six percent of ocean life die off?” It will instead be, “How did four percent actually survive?”
Mann highlights that there were multiple factors that were involved in the Great Dying which we are not witnessing in today’s world and therefore it is not time to give up hope. ‘The Great Dying is often pointed to as a potential analog for the consequences of current-day human-caused climate change. But it’s an imperfect one…The message here is that there is cause for concern, and a strong reason to act. But it’s certainly not a reason to give up hope for our species.’
Mann also draws on the unquantified amount of carbon which has been released owing to the numerous wildfires which we have seen around the globe in 2023 and comments that this new information and evidence needs to be factored into discussions about increased carbon emissions. The rate of the carbon that we are adding to the atmosphere, Mann argues is seriously problematic. ‘[W]e’re adding carbon to the atmosphere a hundred times faster than the natural episode that caused the greatest extinction in planetary history.’
It is no longer a philosophical question that can be asked at this moment in humanity’s existence, but rather a practical one, which reminds us of what is at stake. Mann asks, ‘How risk-tolerant are we willing to be with our one and only planetary home?’
Earth is our once and future home, and despite our searching of the stars for new habitable planets, we cannot discard the beauty and splendour of this fragile marble in space, nor push the equilibrium past a point of no return, without consequences for our species.
There is urgency and there is agency
Mann makes the emphatic point though that, unlike the dinosaurs, humans now have both urgency and agency in which to act and that this creates optimism about extending our fragile moment in the sun. ‘A better reason for optimism is this essential distinction: there was nothing the dinosaurs could have done about their plight. They had no means to deflect the asteroid. They lacked agency. We do not. We are threatened with a catastrophe of our own making. And the primary challenge we face isn’t the immutable laws of astrophysics. It’s political will.’
He convincingly demonstrates that, ‘Our fragile moment can still be preserved.’ but that this is reliant on what we choose to create, ‘We cannot say what our future will be. But we can talk about what futures we are still able to create.’
The future is grey, not black and white
As this is a carefully nuanced book, which celebrates the non-absolute states of black and white, I can understand why it might not be universally applauded and welcomed, especially by those who want simple, sensationalistic summary points to generate social media engagement. Mann encourages us to welcome and celebrate the complex incremental moves forwards in climate science knowledge, rather than to respond to every new climate report as if it was ‘the end of the world as we know it.’
Mann himself warns against the new breed of hypersensitive social media users, for whom engagement is more important than scientific uncertainty and informed debate. ‘Such nuanced views struggle to gain currency in a political economy where hot takes, hyperbole, and polarizing commentary best generate clicks, shares, and retweets.’
Mann is clear that there is no need for this hyperbolic approach which divides. ‘There is no need to exaggerate the threat. The facts alone justify immediate and dramatic action.’
Some readers seem to want the authors of newly released climate books to provide simple answers and become frustrated when they are met with complexity and uncertainty.
Climate projections of possible futures perhaps lack the inclusion of one factor- that of human endeavour and unity. Our science fiction stories normally have the same common factor- they portray events happening to us. Humans are the common factor and we are capable of greatness. This is our moment. Mann indicates that in the historical record, there are always species which take advantage of changing climates and adapt faster than others and therefore survive. ‘There are always winners and losers…If we extinguish ourselves, other creatures will undoubtedly exploit the niche we had filled. They’ll be the winners. And we’ll be the losers. Yes, the planet itself will continue on just fine. But without us. Our fragile moment will be over.’
It is perhaps fitting that the final words do not go to Dr Mann, but rather to his idol and great scientific thinker of the late twentieth century, Carl Sagan. Mann opens ‘Our Fragile Moment’ with this quotation from Sagan, but perhaps using it as the clarion call for the times yet to come is more fitting.
‘We are at a crossroads in human history. Never before has there been a moment so simultaneously perilous and promising. We are the first species to have taken evolution into our own hands.’ —CARL SAGAN
Rutger Hauer's character from 'Blade Runner', Roy Batty, closes the film with a philosophical reflection on humanity and the precious power of memory and moments. For Distinguished Professor Michael Mann, the last words of this quotation are problematic. He is known for serious, cautious, evidence led work, rather than sensational 'doomer' tactics, so 'Our Fragile Moment' is not a dirge or eulogy. Instead, this is an accessible, engaging book, which details how we have arrived at this ‘absolute fragility of this moment in time’; compares our present time with extinction events in the past; and explores what solutions we have currently at our disposal.
Lessons from the past
The lesson from the past that Mann opens with is that every species and civilisation has its moment, but that ‘Thanks to the efforts of those [fossil fuel] corporations, we’re now coming up against the boundary of habitable life for us humans.’ Mann describes the present as ‘the absolute fragility of this moment in time’, but emphasises that although climate change is a crisis, it remains a ‘solvable crisis’. Mann is known for scientific rigour and he is clear that scientific uncertainty, by itself, is no bad thing, as it is part of the process that leads to greater understanding- as indeed, scientific exploration always has. He states,
‘We must embrace scientific uncertainty. The scientific process builds on itself. New data come to light that help us refine our understanding.’
Is it then ‘Time to die’, from the earlier ‘Blade Runner’ quotation? Mann acknowledges that this is the ‘big question on everybody’s mind: Are we doomed?’ Although a fatalistic reader may expect a clear answer that our civilisations are doomed, as global temperatures continue to rise and climate events become more noticeable as we inch towards 1.5°C above the pre-industrial levels, Mann makes it emphatically clear that ‘it is entirely up to us.’
He makes the repeated and clear point that the challenge in implementing climate action is down to political will, rather than not knowing the solutions. ‘We have sophisticated technology today that we can employ in an effort to adapt to climate change…
Most importantly, we have the technological know-how to decarbonize the global economy, moving away from the harmful burning of fossil fuels toward clean energy and climate-friendly agricultural and land use policies. The obstacles here aren’t technological. They are political.’
‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’
Mann charts the climate impacts that have shaped the paleoclimate past of our planet and the devastating impact that some of them had on the life-forms present at the time from the Permian- Triassic extinction- ‘estimated ninety percent of all Permian species disappeared from the face of the planet’- to the impact of 65 million years ago. ‘From sixty-six million years ago, when our distant rodent-like ancestors crawled out from the shadows of the dinosaurs, to five million years ago, when our less-distant primate ancestors came down from the trees to hunt on ancient African savannas, climate has shaped us.’
He focuses on the impact of human ancestors migration and settlement. ‘Our species, Homo sapiens, had finally made the transition from nomadic to sedentary existence. We had learned to cultivate food crops and raise livestock.’ Mann investigates various cultures and civilisations such as the Sumerians, Romans and Anasazi and cautions against naming one factor as the deciding factor in the decline of empires. ‘Now, we must be wary of climate determinism: the notion that every significant historical event, every societal origin or collapse, can be interpreted entirely through the lens of climate change. We must always appreciate the complexities of human behavior and sociopolitical dynamics that effect societal changes.’
He cautions that humans ‘delved too greedily and too deep’ and as a result, awakened the ‘Balrog’ of the fossil fuel industry. ‘We helped create our fragile moment, a stable global climate upon which to build the infrastructure of human civilization. We should have stopped while we were ahead. But we went further. We constructed an industrial civilization that was entirely dependent on fossil fuels.’
He optimistically suggests that ‘We also have distinct advantages over the past civilizations… because, unlike them, we have the ability to anticipate the future.’ and that we should see the collapse of other civilisations as cautionary tales in how to manage the inevitable mass migration that will follow. Mann quotes Andrew Harper, an adviser to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, [who] argued that “climate change is reinforcing underlying vulnerabilities and grievances that may have existed for decades, but which are now leading to people having no other choice but to move.”
The ‘known unknowns’
Mann switches the focus to exploring the ‘known unknowns’ of climate stability, as he evaluates the twins of climate resilience and climate fragility. He makes the argument that knowing how far away climate ‘tipping points’ are can be difficult to predict. ‘As we continue to burn fossil fuels and generate atmospheric carbon pollution, we’re pushing the planet harder and harder. The question is, how long before we’ve pushed too hard?’
He comments that this ‘unknown’ should give humanity pause: ‘That fact should give us pause as we continue to recklessly warm our planet with carbon pollution.’
Mann warns that pressing the ‘reset’ button on the climate after our damage, will not restore what has been lost. The ice sheets, once lost, will remain lost in human timelines. Likewise, the ocean conveyor belt won’t suddenly come back after a collapse.
‘Even if we warm the planet up enough to melt the ice sheets, there’s a chance we could cool the climate back down over the next century… But it’s not as if the ice sheets will return. They’re done. It would take millions of years to bring them back…
A similar thing holds with the great ocean conveyor. If that circulation pattern collapses due to warming and we cool the climate back down, that circulation pattern doesn’t come back.’
How risk tolerant can we be with this one Earth?
Mann opens up a fascinating point when exploring the comparisons with our carbon pollution behaviour nowadays with ‘the Great Dying’ of the Permian-Triassic extinction. He argues that as our focus is usually on the catastrophic extinction levels, we sometimes forget that ‘life finds a way’ and that some species both survived and thrived in their own ‘fragile moment’ ‘The question on your mind won’t be, “Why did ninety-six percent of ocean life die off?” It will instead be, “How did four percent actually survive?”
Mann highlights that there were multiple factors that were involved in the Great Dying which we are not witnessing in today’s world and therefore it is not time to give up hope. ‘The Great Dying is often pointed to as a potential analog for the consequences of current-day human-caused climate change. But it’s an imperfect one…The message here is that there is cause for concern, and a strong reason to act. But it’s certainly not a reason to give up hope for our species.’
Mann also draws on the unquantified amount of carbon which has been released owing to the numerous wildfires which we have seen around the globe in 2023 and comments that this new information and evidence needs to be factored into discussions about increased carbon emissions. The rate of the carbon that we are adding to the atmosphere, Mann argues is seriously problematic. ‘[W]e’re adding carbon to the atmosphere a hundred times faster than the natural episode that caused the greatest extinction in planetary history.’
It is no longer a philosophical question that can be asked at this moment in humanity’s existence, but rather a practical one, which reminds us of what is at stake. Mann asks, ‘How risk-tolerant are we willing to be with our one and only planetary home?’
Earth is our once and future home, and despite our searching of the stars for new habitable planets, we cannot discard the beauty and splendour of this fragile marble in space, nor push the equilibrium past a point of no return, without consequences for our species.
There is urgency and there is agency
Mann makes the emphatic point though that, unlike the dinosaurs, humans now have both urgency and agency in which to act and that this creates optimism about extending our fragile moment in the sun. ‘A better reason for optimism is this essential distinction: there was nothing the dinosaurs could have done about their plight. They had no means to deflect the asteroid. They lacked agency. We do not. We are threatened with a catastrophe of our own making. And the primary challenge we face isn’t the immutable laws of astrophysics. It’s political will.’
He convincingly demonstrates that, ‘Our fragile moment can still be preserved.’ but that this is reliant on what we choose to create, ‘We cannot say what our future will be. But we can talk about what futures we are still able to create.’
The future is grey, not black and white
As this is a carefully nuanced book, which celebrates the non-absolute states of black and white, I can understand why it might not be universally applauded and welcomed, especially by those who want simple, sensationalistic summary points to generate social media engagement. Mann encourages us to welcome and celebrate the complex incremental moves forwards in climate science knowledge, rather than to respond to every new climate report as if it was ‘the end of the world as we know it.’
Mann himself warns against the new breed of hypersensitive social media users, for whom engagement is more important than scientific uncertainty and informed debate. ‘Such nuanced views struggle to gain currency in a political economy where hot takes, hyperbole, and polarizing commentary best generate clicks, shares, and retweets.’
Mann is clear that there is no need for this hyperbolic approach which divides. ‘There is no need to exaggerate the threat. The facts alone justify immediate and dramatic action.’
Some readers seem to want the authors of newly released climate books to provide simple answers and become frustrated when they are met with complexity and uncertainty.
Climate projections of possible futures perhaps lack the inclusion of one factor- that of human endeavour and unity. Our science fiction stories normally have the same common factor- they portray events happening to us. Humans are the common factor and we are capable of greatness. This is our moment. Mann indicates that in the historical record, there are always species which take advantage of changing climates and adapt faster than others and therefore survive. ‘There are always winners and losers…If we extinguish ourselves, other creatures will undoubtedly exploit the niche we had filled. They’ll be the winners. And we’ll be the losers. Yes, the planet itself will continue on just fine. But without us. Our fragile moment will be over.’
It is perhaps fitting that the final words do not go to Dr Mann, but rather to his idol and great scientific thinker of the late twentieth century, Carl Sagan. Mann opens ‘Our Fragile Moment’ with this quotation from Sagan, but perhaps using it as the clarion call for the times yet to come is more fitting.
‘We are at a crossroads in human history. Never before has there been a moment so simultaneously perilous and promising. We are the first species to have taken evolution into our own hands.’ —CARL SAGAN
December 14, 2023
Acho que preciso reler esse livro.
January 16, 2024
It really needs an appendix with equations and chemical reactions for those who understand them. It would help me understand the chemical and dynamical cycles better.
May 18, 2024
For the past three decades, almost anyone paying attention has become aware that the climate of our planet is changing, is doing so rather rapidly, and that this is leading to increasingly extreme weather, migration, the spread of diseases, and higher food prices.
That has led to a massive effort by the fossil fuel industry to dismiss the whole thing as some kind of conspiracy by corrupt climatologists and, in more recent years, by false prophets of doom stating that it's already too late and that the best thing that we can do is prepare for our collective deaths with a smile on our face.
Michael Mann became famous as the author of the "hockey stick" that slapped the world awake. In "Our Fragile Moment", his latest book, he meticulously dissects the findings of climate science, reaching back to the planet's beginnings in the Hadean Eon. It's the best kind of science book: it doesn't dumb anything down, doesn't hide any of the scientific controversies, yet is diamond-clear in its writing.
The conclusions he comes to are alarming in the sense that we don't have an enormous amount of leeway to keep our planet a pleasant place for most of its inhabitants, but also reassuring in that he is clearly pointing out, with all of the science, that the doomist idea that we're all going to die thanks to a methane bomb is profoundly wrong. With this in your back pocket, you'll never again fall for idiotic headlines screeching for your clicks.
He doesn't mention it in this book, but if you combine that insight with the extraordinary speed of the rollout of solar and wind energy, the rapid increase in the management of grids to allow that new energy to be brought to consumers, and the expansion of storage technologies like batteries to keep that electricity available for days when the sun don't shine and the wind don't blow, and you begin to see a way out of our fragile moment.
Yes, we can take steps back, and these steps can come from both sides of the political spectrum. You don't need to have a Donald Trump destroying climate subsidies and instead pumping numberless billions into new fossil fuel subsidies to mess up the system. You can simply be President Biden, who decided for political reasons to slap 100% duties on cheap Chinese electric cars, which is going to slow down the transition to decarbonized transport in the United States and thus lead to more climate change.
But by and large, the animal spirits of capitalism are developing an extraordinary range of solutions affecting hundreds of industrial sectors that all point in the same direction: less GHG emissions and lower resource use for the same or increased delivery of products and services. Our fragile moment does not necessarily have a good outcome, but right now I'd say that is a more likely prospect than that it would end up in disaster.
That has led to a massive effort by the fossil fuel industry to dismiss the whole thing as some kind of conspiracy by corrupt climatologists and, in more recent years, by false prophets of doom stating that it's already too late and that the best thing that we can do is prepare for our collective deaths with a smile on our face.
Michael Mann became famous as the author of the "hockey stick" that slapped the world awake. In "Our Fragile Moment", his latest book, he meticulously dissects the findings of climate science, reaching back to the planet's beginnings in the Hadean Eon. It's the best kind of science book: it doesn't dumb anything down, doesn't hide any of the scientific controversies, yet is diamond-clear in its writing.
The conclusions he comes to are alarming in the sense that we don't have an enormous amount of leeway to keep our planet a pleasant place for most of its inhabitants, but also reassuring in that he is clearly pointing out, with all of the science, that the doomist idea that we're all going to die thanks to a methane bomb is profoundly wrong. With this in your back pocket, you'll never again fall for idiotic headlines screeching for your clicks.
He doesn't mention it in this book, but if you combine that insight with the extraordinary speed of the rollout of solar and wind energy, the rapid increase in the management of grids to allow that new energy to be brought to consumers, and the expansion of storage technologies like batteries to keep that electricity available for days when the sun don't shine and the wind don't blow, and you begin to see a way out of our fragile moment.
Yes, we can take steps back, and these steps can come from both sides of the political spectrum. You don't need to have a Donald Trump destroying climate subsidies and instead pumping numberless billions into new fossil fuel subsidies to mess up the system. You can simply be President Biden, who decided for political reasons to slap 100% duties on cheap Chinese electric cars, which is going to slow down the transition to decarbonized transport in the United States and thus lead to more climate change.
But by and large, the animal spirits of capitalism are developing an extraordinary range of solutions affecting hundreds of industrial sectors that all point in the same direction: less GHG emissions and lower resource use for the same or increased delivery of products and services. Our fragile moment does not necessarily have a good outcome, but right now I'd say that is a more likely prospect than that it would end up in disaster.
April 18, 2025
Our Fragile Moment, How Lessons from the Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis
Michael Mann, 2023
Perspective: the more perspective a person or a society possesses the more knowledge that person or society has about its true situation. One who climbs to the top of a mountain has a truer understanding of the topographical situation where that person is. When astronauts traveled to the moon and looked back at earth, they saw a beautiful blue and white sphere, in fact a very small seemingly fragile sphere that could be obscured with a thumb held at arm’s length. Gained was a true perspective about the real situation of humans on planet earth. When the Hubble telescope was launched into space, we became aware of the unimaginable immensity of the universe, a universe of trillions of stars like our sun and trillions of galaxies like our own milky way. Our illusion of an earth-centric universe was completely shattered. Perspective also applies to time and here again the mythology and illusion of an earth created by an earth-centric god some 6000 years ago has been completely shattered by the science of the past 75 years. Revealed is an earth over 4.5 billion years old with life of some form for the past 2.5 billion years. Many species have come and gone before our own species sojourn on the earth began a mere 200,000 years ago. Perspective also applies to climate and our recent discoveries and understanding of earth’s climates going back to the very beginning of life on the planet has destroyed the illusion that earth’s climate was always beneficent or that it hadn’t been subject to drastic changes over the eons of time. Michael Mann is the presidential distinguished professor and director for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania. The thesis of his book on climate is to give us a perspective about past climates in earth’s history, to explore how massive climatological perturbations in at least 3 instances led to mass extinctions of life, what caused those occurrences, and how those life catastrophic occurrences might have some relation to our situation today where we are emitting at an unprecedented pace hundreds of billions of tons of powerful greenhouse inducing CO2 into our atmosphere.
What perspective would a reader gain from reading this book? One realization: While earth’s climate is extremely complicated with numerous variables, geographic variations and feedback processes, one variable, the variable of CO2 concentrations appears in all mass extinctions except for one caused by a meteorite collision. The second realization: the power of CO2 to change climate, scientific evidence is unequivocable. Over eons, life and geological processes such as plate tectonics and volcanism acting in concert with life forms sequestering carbon through bacterial and plant chloroplasts, a carbon cycle has evolved that has kept atmospheric CO2 concentrations within a range tolerable to life on earth. Such a process was not possible on the planet Venus, which lacked carbon sequestering plate tectonics and where volcanic eruptions, and CO2 concentrations turned the planet into a veritable hothouse of 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Very rarely, something short circuits the carbon cycle on planet earth such as massive volcanic episodes that have led to a hot house earth situation. While not comparable to the extremes of Venus, they have caused mass extinctions sometimes in the range of 95% of all life. The third realization: We humans have for the last 200 years and are now short-circuiting the carbon cycle. The carbon content of the atmosphere has risen almost 60% since the advent of the industrial revolution and is wholly attributable to the burning of fossil fuels. We are now expelling CO2 into the atmosphere at a rate never seen before in geological history. Global temperatures have closely parallelled the rise in carbon concentrations. The atmospheric carbon content of today has not been seen for at least 3 million years, before the Pleistocene period of ice ages, way before the advent of human beings on the earth and coincided with an earth with sea levels of 60 to 80 feet higher than today which would be a harbinger of mass human dislocation. Continued fossil fuel burning at the current rate has as a worst-case scenario, although not likely, the possibility of taking us back to climates not seen since the PETM (Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum) when crocodiles roamed the tropical jungles of northern latitudes now occupied by northern Montana, with sea levels 300-400 feet higher. The fourth realization: Once the CO2 content of the atmosphere has been raised it takes millenniums for natural processes to reverse the rise.
Is there hope? Michael Mann, while elucidating the hellish scenarios of past extinction events, offers some solace but only if we let science dictate our actions not politics or corporate greed.
“Even under a business-as-usual scenario where we fail to build on climate policies already in place, the warming of the planet is unlikely to exceed 3 degrees (5.4 degrees F)….But at that level of warming we can expect a lot of suffering, species extinction, loss of life, destabilization of societal infrastructure, chaos, and conflict. An end, perhaps, to our fragile moment.
That’s not a world in which we want to live, and it’s not a world we want to leave behind for our children and grandchildren. Though it is a possible future, it’s not a preordained future. If we build upon the actions that have already been taken, decarbonize the machinery of our civilization in the years and decades ahead, we can preserve our fragile moment. That’s what our review of climates past and present tells us. So let that be a rallying call and our mission.”
Unfortunately, we have recently elected leadership in our country that not only doesn’t want to build on the climate policies already in place, but it insanely wants to destroy them and inexplicably revert back to burning more fossil fuels. Of all the tragic consequences of the past election this one might be the most egregious and dangerous. JRH, 4/18/25
Michael Mann, 2023
Perspective: the more perspective a person or a society possesses the more knowledge that person or society has about its true situation. One who climbs to the top of a mountain has a truer understanding of the topographical situation where that person is. When astronauts traveled to the moon and looked back at earth, they saw a beautiful blue and white sphere, in fact a very small seemingly fragile sphere that could be obscured with a thumb held at arm’s length. Gained was a true perspective about the real situation of humans on planet earth. When the Hubble telescope was launched into space, we became aware of the unimaginable immensity of the universe, a universe of trillions of stars like our sun and trillions of galaxies like our own milky way. Our illusion of an earth-centric universe was completely shattered. Perspective also applies to time and here again the mythology and illusion of an earth created by an earth-centric god some 6000 years ago has been completely shattered by the science of the past 75 years. Revealed is an earth over 4.5 billion years old with life of some form for the past 2.5 billion years. Many species have come and gone before our own species sojourn on the earth began a mere 200,000 years ago. Perspective also applies to climate and our recent discoveries and understanding of earth’s climates going back to the very beginning of life on the planet has destroyed the illusion that earth’s climate was always beneficent or that it hadn’t been subject to drastic changes over the eons of time. Michael Mann is the presidential distinguished professor and director for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania. The thesis of his book on climate is to give us a perspective about past climates in earth’s history, to explore how massive climatological perturbations in at least 3 instances led to mass extinctions of life, what caused those occurrences, and how those life catastrophic occurrences might have some relation to our situation today where we are emitting at an unprecedented pace hundreds of billions of tons of powerful greenhouse inducing CO2 into our atmosphere.
What perspective would a reader gain from reading this book? One realization: While earth’s climate is extremely complicated with numerous variables, geographic variations and feedback processes, one variable, the variable of CO2 concentrations appears in all mass extinctions except for one caused by a meteorite collision. The second realization: the power of CO2 to change climate, scientific evidence is unequivocable. Over eons, life and geological processes such as plate tectonics and volcanism acting in concert with life forms sequestering carbon through bacterial and plant chloroplasts, a carbon cycle has evolved that has kept atmospheric CO2 concentrations within a range tolerable to life on earth. Such a process was not possible on the planet Venus, which lacked carbon sequestering plate tectonics and where volcanic eruptions, and CO2 concentrations turned the planet into a veritable hothouse of 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Very rarely, something short circuits the carbon cycle on planet earth such as massive volcanic episodes that have led to a hot house earth situation. While not comparable to the extremes of Venus, they have caused mass extinctions sometimes in the range of 95% of all life. The third realization: We humans have for the last 200 years and are now short-circuiting the carbon cycle. The carbon content of the atmosphere has risen almost 60% since the advent of the industrial revolution and is wholly attributable to the burning of fossil fuels. We are now expelling CO2 into the atmosphere at a rate never seen before in geological history. Global temperatures have closely parallelled the rise in carbon concentrations. The atmospheric carbon content of today has not been seen for at least 3 million years, before the Pleistocene period of ice ages, way before the advent of human beings on the earth and coincided with an earth with sea levels of 60 to 80 feet higher than today which would be a harbinger of mass human dislocation. Continued fossil fuel burning at the current rate has as a worst-case scenario, although not likely, the possibility of taking us back to climates not seen since the PETM (Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum) when crocodiles roamed the tropical jungles of northern latitudes now occupied by northern Montana, with sea levels 300-400 feet higher. The fourth realization: Once the CO2 content of the atmosphere has been raised it takes millenniums for natural processes to reverse the rise.
Is there hope? Michael Mann, while elucidating the hellish scenarios of past extinction events, offers some solace but only if we let science dictate our actions not politics or corporate greed.
“Even under a business-as-usual scenario where we fail to build on climate policies already in place, the warming of the planet is unlikely to exceed 3 degrees (5.4 degrees F)….But at that level of warming we can expect a lot of suffering, species extinction, loss of life, destabilization of societal infrastructure, chaos, and conflict. An end, perhaps, to our fragile moment.
That’s not a world in which we want to live, and it’s not a world we want to leave behind for our children and grandchildren. Though it is a possible future, it’s not a preordained future. If we build upon the actions that have already been taken, decarbonize the machinery of our civilization in the years and decades ahead, we can preserve our fragile moment. That’s what our review of climates past and present tells us. So let that be a rallying call and our mission.”
Unfortunately, we have recently elected leadership in our country that not only doesn’t want to build on the climate policies already in place, but it insanely wants to destroy them and inexplicably revert back to burning more fossil fuels. Of all the tragic consequences of the past election this one might be the most egregious and dangerous. JRH, 4/18/25
October 4, 2023
A very well written work on the 4.5 billion year history of global climate. The rise and fall of CO₂ levels, and repeated extinction events are examined.
Do you want to know what we are facing today? What the possibilities for future weather are?
Dr. Mann has chronicled the state of art condition of our globe.
The new Sagan.
Do you want to know what we are facing today? What the possibilities for future weather are?
Dr. Mann has chronicled the state of art condition of our globe.
The new Sagan.
January 30, 2024
This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about the origins and causes of our current climate crisis. Written by renown climate scientist and creator of the “hockey stick” graph, Mr. Michael Mann, is a presidential distinguished professor and director of the Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, "Our Fragile Moment", uniquely elaborates on the alarming rate of global warming, without causing panic, to fully explain that the lessons from the earth’s climate past can impart to us what to do about our rapidly declining range of climate livability, fueled by the worsening climate crisis.
The book’s road to climate enlightenment takes readers on a 4.5 billion year journey to explore the fundamentals of the earth’s climate history, with several detailed comparisons of the various climate driven mass extinction episodes, right up to human-induced climate change, which began with the advent of human agriculture, and accelerated with the burning of fossil fuels. Mr. Mann highlights the earth’s fragility which balances on a “relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable.” Ultimately, we learn that these past climate scenarios inform us about our current climate crisis: we are living during a very “fragile moment” with regard to a livable climate on earth. Although we may be on a stormy precipice of climate emergencies, our present-day actions will influence the earth’s degree of climate livability in the future, as studies of past climatic changes point to a certain degree of resilience on behalf of the earth’s natural systems. Mann reassures us that “climate change is a crisis, but a solvable crisis.”
In addition to the paramount discussion on the natural and human-made drivers of climate change, is a lucid discourse about vested interests’ role in spreading misinformation about scientifically validated climate science. This powerful climate denial campaign must be confronted in order to create societal pressure for the adoption of policies that will create a livable climate for our future. Mr. Mann sagely advises us to drastically reduce the amount of global carbon emissions that are being spewed into the atmosphere, through our burning of fossil fuels. Furthermore, we need to restore and protect our forests, and oceans, both of which sequester carbon, and thus, aid the earth’s climate sensitivity equilibrium, which we depend on for our survival.
In terms of entertainment factor, this incredibly readable book knits closely the evolution of climate science with engaging anecdotes and allusions from popular songs, and movies, providing an eye-opening link between the context of climate change within the cultural background of the past half century. For example, the author writes of the 1983 movie, The Day After, which depicts a civilization-ending nuclear fallout between the United States and Russia, (it was the most-watched TV film of all time), and astronomer and prominent science communicator, Carl Sagan’s findings, released around the same time, that a nuclear exchange between the two aforementioned super powers could lead to a mass extinction event, due to a “combination of extreme cold, nuclear fallout, radiation exposure, and ozone destruction.” Sagan’s prediction of a devastating catastrophic global cooling that would result from a nuclear war is a two-fold analog for our climate crisis: human actions directly influence the earth’s climate; human civilization will not survive if it pushes the earth’s climate too far in any one direction. Besides documenting Sagan’s significant role in highlighting the fragility of the earth, the book imparts readers with the teachings of some of the great scientists of modern times, such as James Lovelock, Paul Ehrlich, Rachel Carson and Luis Alvarez.
Another great aspect of this “hard” science book is that it is full of understandable explanations about geological, physical, chemical and biological phenomena as they pertain to the creation and change of the earth’s climate. Mr. Mann argues that within the scientific community, theories of knowledge are constantly being revised to reflect any advancements in this knowledge due to new findings. This “revising of knowledge” process is accomplished through scientific studies, peer reviews, and finally, acceptance of these confirmed and published findings in peer reviewed academic journals. Additionally, the forecasts of climate science can be trusted because scientists are constantly refining their tools of climate prediction, and as their data-driven models continue to advance they get more accurate at predicting what the climate will look like in various future scenarios, at different rates of carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. This helps us plan for the future, in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Lastly, Mr. Mann makes it clear that individuals, governments and corporations still have a window within which to limit the amount of future suffering that will occur due to climate change. He convincingly argues that what we do now matters for our future. That being said, Mr. Mann pleads with the reader not to despair over the climate crisis, and he argues that one of the greatest threats to meaningful climate action is climate despair and doomism, because they are premised on the idea that it is to late to do anything. Thankfully, it is not.
The book’s road to climate enlightenment takes readers on a 4.5 billion year journey to explore the fundamentals of the earth’s climate history, with several detailed comparisons of the various climate driven mass extinction episodes, right up to human-induced climate change, which began with the advent of human agriculture, and accelerated with the burning of fossil fuels. Mr. Mann highlights the earth’s fragility which balances on a “relatively narrow envelope of climate variability within which human civilization remains viable.” Ultimately, we learn that these past climate scenarios inform us about our current climate crisis: we are living during a very “fragile moment” with regard to a livable climate on earth. Although we may be on a stormy precipice of climate emergencies, our present-day actions will influence the earth’s degree of climate livability in the future, as studies of past climatic changes point to a certain degree of resilience on behalf of the earth’s natural systems. Mann reassures us that “climate change is a crisis, but a solvable crisis.”
In addition to the paramount discussion on the natural and human-made drivers of climate change, is a lucid discourse about vested interests’ role in spreading misinformation about scientifically validated climate science. This powerful climate denial campaign must be confronted in order to create societal pressure for the adoption of policies that will create a livable climate for our future. Mr. Mann sagely advises us to drastically reduce the amount of global carbon emissions that are being spewed into the atmosphere, through our burning of fossil fuels. Furthermore, we need to restore and protect our forests, and oceans, both of which sequester carbon, and thus, aid the earth’s climate sensitivity equilibrium, which we depend on for our survival.
In terms of entertainment factor, this incredibly readable book knits closely the evolution of climate science with engaging anecdotes and allusions from popular songs, and movies, providing an eye-opening link between the context of climate change within the cultural background of the past half century. For example, the author writes of the 1983 movie, The Day After, which depicts a civilization-ending nuclear fallout between the United States and Russia, (it was the most-watched TV film of all time), and astronomer and prominent science communicator, Carl Sagan’s findings, released around the same time, that a nuclear exchange between the two aforementioned super powers could lead to a mass extinction event, due to a “combination of extreme cold, nuclear fallout, radiation exposure, and ozone destruction.” Sagan’s prediction of a devastating catastrophic global cooling that would result from a nuclear war is a two-fold analog for our climate crisis: human actions directly influence the earth’s climate; human civilization will not survive if it pushes the earth’s climate too far in any one direction. Besides documenting Sagan’s significant role in highlighting the fragility of the earth, the book imparts readers with the teachings of some of the great scientists of modern times, such as James Lovelock, Paul Ehrlich, Rachel Carson and Luis Alvarez.
Another great aspect of this “hard” science book is that it is full of understandable explanations about geological, physical, chemical and biological phenomena as they pertain to the creation and change of the earth’s climate. Mr. Mann argues that within the scientific community, theories of knowledge are constantly being revised to reflect any advancements in this knowledge due to new findings. This “revising of knowledge” process is accomplished through scientific studies, peer reviews, and finally, acceptance of these confirmed and published findings in peer reviewed academic journals. Additionally, the forecasts of climate science can be trusted because scientists are constantly refining their tools of climate prediction, and as their data-driven models continue to advance they get more accurate at predicting what the climate will look like in various future scenarios, at different rates of carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. This helps us plan for the future, in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
Lastly, Mr. Mann makes it clear that individuals, governments and corporations still have a window within which to limit the amount of future suffering that will occur due to climate change. He convincingly argues that what we do now matters for our future. That being said, Mr. Mann pleads with the reader not to despair over the climate crisis, and he argues that one of the greatest threats to meaningful climate action is climate despair and doomism, because they are premised on the idea that it is to late to do anything. Thankfully, it is not.
February 26, 2024
When I put this book on my reading list, I had no idea what it was about and had never heard of the author or his “hockey stick.” I just saw the book prominently displayed in a University book store and thought I’d check it out to keep tabs on current trends in thought. Actually assumed it would be something on the LGBT spectrum due to the cover.
Quite refreshing, I must say, to come across a book on global climate with a predominantly scientific orientation—vs what the author refers to as doomism— in a book taking gives me hope that a consensus for action could some day be reached.
Though I sometimes had the feeling that climate change was just a hook for the author to keep us reading about many of the interesting theories and findings going on in his field (kind of like the way physicists often use the existence of God and ministers use near death experiences for the purpose in their books) it was unprecedented for me to read of the wild fluctuations in Earth’s average temperature and regional climates throughout time as well as disavowal of our approaching a cliff to human extinction in a book also recommending the cessation of fossil fuel use. The methods and conclusions of what I believe the author called paleo climate studies or something to that effect are very interesting. Regardless of their relevance to predicting the future.
Here are some important things the author has in common with Bjorn Lomborg and Alex Epstein, who I believe are currently the most popular authors on the other side of the proscriptive aisle on this topic:
1) climate modelling is difficult and prone to significant error, however the direction of the global average temperature is quite clearly going up
2). We do not stand on the edge of a knife. Humanity is not at risk. This is a question of minimizing death and suffering.
The author also makes the very good point that modelling error can go either way and though he provides little support in the book gives at least one likely important example.
Where the book falls short is the author’s narrow focus on elimination of fossil fuel use as the solution without providing any analysis of the costs of warming vs the cost of that elimination to back his assertion up. In addition to Epstein and Lomborg, Mr Mann should also read Vaclav Smil’s How the World Really Works to get a more realistic understanding of the difficulties beyond politics involved in his political recommendations.
I’ll have to look further into this hockey stick and maybe also read the author’s book on the petroleum industry’s efforts to discredit him. And then I’m still waiting for an author to lay out a full scientific case for climate change in a way similar to how this book explains the past. I mean, if all they have it that they’ve come up with multi-factor models that re-create past events, I’ve seen many people do the same with economic models and go bust investing on their basis for the future. This and many other authors may be discredited 20 years from now if all coastal cities are still functioning well, for example, but their careers will for the most part be over by then anyway. Nowhere near the investments I’ve seen lost betting on models of complex phenomena.
Narrator of the audiobook is a bit generic for my taste, however, overall I heartily recommend you check this out as well as the other books and authors I’ve mentioned above. Let’s stop playing politics with this issue and start working cooperatively to address it practically.
Quite refreshing, I must say, to come across a book on global climate with a predominantly scientific orientation—vs what the author refers to as doomism— in a book taking gives me hope that a consensus for action could some day be reached.
Though I sometimes had the feeling that climate change was just a hook for the author to keep us reading about many of the interesting theories and findings going on in his field (kind of like the way physicists often use the existence of God and ministers use near death experiences for the purpose in their books) it was unprecedented for me to read of the wild fluctuations in Earth’s average temperature and regional climates throughout time as well as disavowal of our approaching a cliff to human extinction in a book also recommending the cessation of fossil fuel use. The methods and conclusions of what I believe the author called paleo climate studies or something to that effect are very interesting. Regardless of their relevance to predicting the future.
Here are some important things the author has in common with Bjorn Lomborg and Alex Epstein, who I believe are currently the most popular authors on the other side of the proscriptive aisle on this topic:
1) climate modelling is difficult and prone to significant error, however the direction of the global average temperature is quite clearly going up
2). We do not stand on the edge of a knife. Humanity is not at risk. This is a question of minimizing death and suffering.
The author also makes the very good point that modelling error can go either way and though he provides little support in the book gives at least one likely important example.
Where the book falls short is the author’s narrow focus on elimination of fossil fuel use as the solution without providing any analysis of the costs of warming vs the cost of that elimination to back his assertion up. In addition to Epstein and Lomborg, Mr Mann should also read Vaclav Smil’s How the World Really Works to get a more realistic understanding of the difficulties beyond politics involved in his political recommendations.
I’ll have to look further into this hockey stick and maybe also read the author’s book on the petroleum industry’s efforts to discredit him. And then I’m still waiting for an author to lay out a full scientific case for climate change in a way similar to how this book explains the past. I mean, if all they have it that they’ve come up with multi-factor models that re-create past events, I’ve seen many people do the same with economic models and go bust investing on their basis for the future. This and many other authors may be discredited 20 years from now if all coastal cities are still functioning well, for example, but their careers will for the most part be over by then anyway. Nowhere near the investments I’ve seen lost betting on models of complex phenomena.
Narrator of the audiobook is a bit generic for my taste, however, overall I heartily recommend you check this out as well as the other books and authors I’ve mentioned above. Let’s stop playing politics with this issue and start working cooperatively to address it practically.
April 11, 2025
“Our Fragile Moment” (Michael Mann, 2023) discusses Earth’s climate history to lend perspective to our current climate crisis. Modern humans have existed for only about 200,000 years and human civilizations for a mere 6,000 years. That’s about 0.00441% of the Earth’s 4.54 billion year history as modern humans and 0.00013% as members of civilizations - metaphorical “moments” relative to geological time frames, hence this book’s title. We live on a planet which orbits within the habitable Goldilocks zone - neither too close to (not too hot) nor too far from the sun (not too cold). Recent climate variations have been suitable not only for our emergence as a species but also for our development of civilizations. Climate has previously shaped humans, just as humans are now shaping Earth’s climate.
Paleoclimatology is the study of prehistoric climates based on analyses of proxy data (ie. ice cores, tree rings, sediment cores, etc.) which indirectly reveal aspects of previous climates without direct meteorological measurements. Earth’s paleoclimates have ranged from hothouse conditions to glaciations. Paleoclimates were affected by various factors: a previously dimmer sun, plate tectonics resulting in different land mass configurations and migrations, different atmospheric compositions, different presentations of the Earth’s surface to the sun (ie. orbital eccentricity, axial tilt, and axial wobble), extensive volcanic activity (ie. Siberian Traps - 250 million years ago), and major asteroid strikes (ie. Chicxulub impact event - 65 million years ago). Not all of those phenomena and conditions are relevant today: the super-continent Pangea no longer exists; Earth has not experienced a Chicxulub-like asteroid impact event recently; and sustained volcanic activity comparable to the Siberian Traps of 250 million years ago is not currently occurring. Paleoclimatology confirms the importance of greenhouse gases which are relevant today, and gives indication of the magnitude of warming possible.
The current warming trend is not yet unavoidably catastrophic - emphasis on “not yet”. However, climate change requires urgent and immediate action to avoid or at least minimize radical changes to our biosphere which are in progress and can ultimately pose an existential threat. We are tampering with the narrow range of tolerable climate variability that makes civilization possible. The technologies necessary for us to act by decarbonizing our energy system already exist. However, we lack the requisite collective societal and political will. We can act substantively to preserve our “fragile moment” on this planet but are not yet collectively doing so. Mann points out that it is entirely our choice whether we maintain our planet’s hospitable state or endure a near future of “suffering, species extinction, loss of life, destabilization of societal infrastructure, chaos, and conflict.” (pg. 240).
Michael Mann is a renown subject matter expert whose detailed analysis affirms that of the vast majority of the scientific community. Our planet is warming. We are causing the warming. It is serious. We can choose to act to minimize the effects. The longer we delay action, the worse it will become for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. If you care about humanity’s future, read this book.
Paleoclimatology is the study of prehistoric climates based on analyses of proxy data (ie. ice cores, tree rings, sediment cores, etc.) which indirectly reveal aspects of previous climates without direct meteorological measurements. Earth’s paleoclimates have ranged from hothouse conditions to glaciations. Paleoclimates were affected by various factors: a previously dimmer sun, plate tectonics resulting in different land mass configurations and migrations, different atmospheric compositions, different presentations of the Earth’s surface to the sun (ie. orbital eccentricity, axial tilt, and axial wobble), extensive volcanic activity (ie. Siberian Traps - 250 million years ago), and major asteroid strikes (ie. Chicxulub impact event - 65 million years ago). Not all of those phenomena and conditions are relevant today: the super-continent Pangea no longer exists; Earth has not experienced a Chicxulub-like asteroid impact event recently; and sustained volcanic activity comparable to the Siberian Traps of 250 million years ago is not currently occurring. Paleoclimatology confirms the importance of greenhouse gases which are relevant today, and gives indication of the magnitude of warming possible.
The current warming trend is not yet unavoidably catastrophic - emphasis on “not yet”. However, climate change requires urgent and immediate action to avoid or at least minimize radical changes to our biosphere which are in progress and can ultimately pose an existential threat. We are tampering with the narrow range of tolerable climate variability that makes civilization possible. The technologies necessary for us to act by decarbonizing our energy system already exist. However, we lack the requisite collective societal and political will. We can act substantively to preserve our “fragile moment” on this planet but are not yet collectively doing so. Mann points out that it is entirely our choice whether we maintain our planet’s hospitable state or endure a near future of “suffering, species extinction, loss of life, destabilization of societal infrastructure, chaos, and conflict.” (pg. 240).
Michael Mann is a renown subject matter expert whose detailed analysis affirms that of the vast majority of the scientific community. Our planet is warming. We are causing the warming. It is serious. We can choose to act to minimize the effects. The longer we delay action, the worse it will become for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. If you care about humanity’s future, read this book.
January 26, 2025
Ireland just endured one of the roughest storms in recent memory. It’s the kind of event that dominates the news cycle, amplifying anxiety around climate change. That’s exactly why I picked up Our Fragile Moment by Michael Mann. The book promises to be an antidote to both climate doomism and denialism, and it delivers in a way that feels refreshingly grounded and empowering.
Mann takes a firm stance: climate change is real, and it’s serious. But it’s not the apocalypse, nor is it an excuse for complacency. What sets this book apart is its long view of Earth’s history, showing us that while we’ve entered a fragile moment, there’s still time to act—and that our actions matter.
The title, Our Fragile Moment, is brilliant in its simplicity. If Earth’s history were condensed into a single day, humanity would exist for only half a second. It’s a humbling reminder of how fleeting our presence is and how stable the planet has been for the past 10,000–20,000 years—a stability we’re now disrupting. Mann underscores that this moment isn’t irreversible, but it’s urgent.
For anyone overwhelmed by the science of climate change, this book can be a challenge—it dives deep into the Earth's climatic history, from rocks to seas to life itself. But Mann’s exploration of the conflicts and discoveries in climate science keeps it engaging. He masterfully explains not just the "what" of climate change but the "how"—how scientists pieced these truths together and the political battles they faced.
One of the most fascinating insights is how our human psychology complicates climate action. Mann explains that we’re wired to believe in conspiracy theories because, in our evolutionary past, being hyper-vigilant about perceived threats—like a shadow outside the cave—meant survival, even if the shadow wasn’t a lion. It’s a brilliant connection between our biology and the misinformation challenges we face today.
If you’re hesitant about diving into all the science, you might start with the final chapter, Past Is Prologue, or Is It?. It’s a powerful conclusion where Mann explores what Earth’s past climatic shifts teach us about today’s challenges. While life has survived dramatic changes before, the unprecedented speed of human-induced climate change threatens to outpace many species’ ability to adapt—including our own. It’s a stark but hopeful call to action, emphasizing that we can still change course if we act decisively.
Mann’s book is not a casual read—it’s dense, but deeply rewarding. My advice? Take it in small bites, like eating an elephant. The science might feel heavy at times, but the message is clear: this fragile moment is ours to shape.
If you want a sneak peek, check out this YouTube interview, where Mann gives a fantastic one-hour summary of the book. Whether you’re new to climate science or looking for hope amid the noise, Our Fragile Moment is a timely and essential read.
Mann takes a firm stance: climate change is real, and it’s serious. But it’s not the apocalypse, nor is it an excuse for complacency. What sets this book apart is its long view of Earth’s history, showing us that while we’ve entered a fragile moment, there’s still time to act—and that our actions matter.
The title, Our Fragile Moment, is brilliant in its simplicity. If Earth’s history were condensed into a single day, humanity would exist for only half a second. It’s a humbling reminder of how fleeting our presence is and how stable the planet has been for the past 10,000–20,000 years—a stability we’re now disrupting. Mann underscores that this moment isn’t irreversible, but it’s urgent.
For anyone overwhelmed by the science of climate change, this book can be a challenge—it dives deep into the Earth's climatic history, from rocks to seas to life itself. But Mann’s exploration of the conflicts and discoveries in climate science keeps it engaging. He masterfully explains not just the "what" of climate change but the "how"—how scientists pieced these truths together and the political battles they faced.
One of the most fascinating insights is how our human psychology complicates climate action. Mann explains that we’re wired to believe in conspiracy theories because, in our evolutionary past, being hyper-vigilant about perceived threats—like a shadow outside the cave—meant survival, even if the shadow wasn’t a lion. It’s a brilliant connection between our biology and the misinformation challenges we face today.
If you’re hesitant about diving into all the science, you might start with the final chapter, Past Is Prologue, or Is It?. It’s a powerful conclusion where Mann explores what Earth’s past climatic shifts teach us about today’s challenges. While life has survived dramatic changes before, the unprecedented speed of human-induced climate change threatens to outpace many species’ ability to adapt—including our own. It’s a stark but hopeful call to action, emphasizing that we can still change course if we act decisively.
Mann’s book is not a casual read—it’s dense, but deeply rewarding. My advice? Take it in small bites, like eating an elephant. The science might feel heavy at times, but the message is clear: this fragile moment is ours to shape.
If you want a sneak peek, check out this YouTube interview, where Mann gives a fantastic one-hour summary of the book. Whether you’re new to climate science or looking for hope amid the noise, Our Fragile Moment is a timely and essential read.
November 22, 2023
I have read most of Michael E. Mann’s written works and as someone who also writes about related issues, I can enthusiastically recommend his latest, Our Fragile Moment. One of the confounding yet incorrect debates about climate science is that past climate cycles in Earth’s history are in some way a precedent for our current climate state. Dr. Mann takes the reader on a meticulous climate journey through the eons that demonstrates that the past couple of centuries of warming has no equal in history. The burning of fossil fuels at an ever-increasing pace has accelerated GHG emissions from the early days of the Industrial Revolution. And while there have been hotter and colder years, including a tropical Arctic and a fully ice-covered surface of the planet, these changes have been over millennia or eons. From the Cambrian to the Holocene, we have had millions of years of climate fluctuation, but the current period is often referred to as the Anthropocene because of evidentiary human influence on climate. The historical context, that is expertly explained by one of our top climate scientists, is essential for anyone curious about what lies ahead for our children and grandchildren. Far from predicting a collapse, Dr. Mann explains in very specific terms that we can correct this current course through readily available measures. He rightly notes that we have the agency to do this. But, and this is an unmistakable but, we will need political will to enact effective climate legislation. Coupled with that, is the public and political pressure needed to make the fossil fuel industry pay for the pollution behind climate emissions and to transition faster from a fossil fuel economy to a green energy economy.
Mann’s final chapter is expertly written as he lays out a realistic hope for the future as compared with the paleoclimate examples of the past. This book is an essential one for anyone who is appropriately interested in our one habitable planet’s long-term welfare. I should say that this is a book for us all.
Mann’s final chapter is expertly written as he lays out a realistic hope for the future as compared with the paleoclimate examples of the past. This book is an essential one for anyone who is appropriately interested in our one habitable planet’s long-term welfare. I should say that this is a book for us all.
May 2, 2024
I learned a lot while listening to this audiobook. Unlike "Not the End of the World" by Hannah Ritchie, "Our Fragile Moment" doesn't make a mission out of reassuring its readers. It's more focused on the past than the present, and it contextualizes the current climate crisis with anecdotes from Earth's climate history. The main takeaways are: 1) that the Earth has undergone climate crises in the past; 2) that this climate crisis is unprecedented and human-driven; and 3) that the planet will survive even if we as a species do not.
There isn't much that an individual can do on their own about this crisis, unfortunately. Even if every consumer were to reduce their carbon footprint, that wouldn't stop large companies and the fossil fuel industry from pushing the climate crisis even further over the edge. As individuals, our greatest impact lies in advocating for the legislation we want to see and electing officials who will prioritize addressing the climate crisis.
The good news is that this situation isn't all or nothing: complete environmental devastation or a perfect reversal to the way things were before. Michael E. Mann compares the climate crisis to a freeway: We need to get off at the next possible exit (by reducing the amount of carbon we release into the atmosphere), and if we miss that exit, then we need to try for the next one. We might get farther and farther away from our original destination, but a warming climate will happen in degrees. Whenever we manage to reduce our emissions as a species, we will be saving our planet and our future generations from an even worse fate than would have occurred with our continued lack of action.
There isn't much that an individual can do on their own about this crisis, unfortunately. Even if every consumer were to reduce their carbon footprint, that wouldn't stop large companies and the fossil fuel industry from pushing the climate crisis even further over the edge. As individuals, our greatest impact lies in advocating for the legislation we want to see and electing officials who will prioritize addressing the climate crisis.
The good news is that this situation isn't all or nothing: complete environmental devastation or a perfect reversal to the way things were before. Michael E. Mann compares the climate crisis to a freeway: We need to get off at the next possible exit (by reducing the amount of carbon we release into the atmosphere), and if we miss that exit, then we need to try for the next one. We might get farther and farther away from our original destination, but a warming climate will happen in degrees. Whenever we manage to reduce our emissions as a species, we will be saving our planet and our future generations from an even worse fate than would have occurred with our continued lack of action.
October 5, 2023
Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis is an enlightening exploration of the causes of climate change. The author skillfully delves into Earth's historical record to shed light on the current climate crisis, drawing compelling parallels between past events and our contemporary challenges. With meticulous research and a persuasive narrative, the book underscores the urgency of addressing climate change while offering insightful lessons from our planet's history that can guide us toward a sustainable future. A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the climate crisis and the paths we can take to mitigate its impact. Interestingly, he challenges us to: we need to reign in fossil fuels and the fossil fuel lobby. We see the urgency: we have a crisis and agency: vote for politicians that work towards climate action.
January 5, 2024
Michael Mann's follow-up to The New Climate War makes a move past "the climate crisis is an issue" towards "what can we realistically do in this moment".
The strong, going-so-bold-as-to-finger-point, voice I became accustomed to in The New Climate War was much softer while conveying the historical lessons shared in Our Fragile Moment. While this choice makes sense given the different audiences and purposes of each book, I found Mann's historical narrative to be a weaker sell. Mann is at his best using his strengths of charisma and personal history, and unfortunately the content of this book is a mismatch.
That being said, this is an important and interesting read and I recommend it to those trying to continue their environmental education past "we're in crisis".
The strong, going-so-bold-as-to-finger-point, voice I became accustomed to in The New Climate War was much softer while conveying the historical lessons shared in Our Fragile Moment. While this choice makes sense given the different audiences and purposes of each book, I found Mann's historical narrative to be a weaker sell. Mann is at his best using his strengths of charisma and personal history, and unfortunately the content of this book is a mismatch.
That being said, this is an important and interesting read and I recommend it to those trying to continue their environmental education past "we're in crisis".
February 19, 2024
Last chapter best chapter always—if you kinda just want the message of the book you can read those 24 pages and get a lot of it (like a journal article).
I thought it was good. He’s good at explaining and has like some fun with it. But I was also thankful that I had take oceanography and had a baseline for some of the concepts because overall it was a hard book. A lot of big words and concepts that I kept losing track of. Maybe it would’ve been better if I read it quicker? But also I couldn’t really do it quicker because it was hard.
But if you’re climate anxious I would definitely say read this. Calmed me down but also made me ready for change (hello politicians what we doing)
also have a goal to read at least 6 nonfiction books this year so this is 1/6
I thought it was good. He’s good at explaining and has like some fun with it. But I was also thankful that I had take oceanography and had a baseline for some of the concepts because overall it was a hard book. A lot of big words and concepts that I kept losing track of. Maybe it would’ve been better if I read it quicker? But also I couldn’t really do it quicker because it was hard.
But if you’re climate anxious I would definitely say read this. Calmed me down but also made me ready for change (hello politicians what we doing)
also have a goal to read at least 6 nonfiction books this year so this is 1/6
January 24, 2024
i would recommend this book to someone who wants to take a deeper dive in the climate crisis and an better understanding of where the data for the models come from. Also the reader gets a real understanding of how difficult it is to get meaningful data from what still exists from the extremely distant past. You see an example of academic collaboration at its best, where scientists are constantly in discussions and bring in more experts who might provide even broader insights. You also see examples where some individuals get involved in politics or personal jealousy and may even compromise scientific integrity to try to influence public opinion (even to the point of being dishonest). A lot of YouTube webinar are available where Prof. Mann summarizes the overall subject matter covered by the book and also participates in clarifying discussions.
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