Best Books On Climate Change
Best book lists, like best movie lists or rankings of actors and restaurants, are inherently subjective. Even if a broad portion of the reading public were polled, many people could not name a single book about climate change. As the problem has grown in scale and urgency over time, awareness of important books on the subject may have risen somewhat — but not by much, at least judging by most bestseller lists.
A very small number of books about climate have earned widespread, lasting acclaim. The first among these is “Silent Spring,” published in 1962 by Rachel Carson, which examined the environmental effects of pesticide use, with a particular focus on DDT and the damage it caused to bird populations. The chemical industry pushed back hard against her findings, but Carson’s work ultimately led to landmark legislation. Britannica described the book as providing “a model of radical environmental activism that questioned prevailing attitudes about the benefits of scientific progress and the attitude that humans should take toward nature.” The Guardian went further, writing that if one had to choose a single text as the cornerstone of the conservation movement, “Silent Spring” would be most people’s clear choice.
The only other book that appears on nearly every such list is “A Life on Our Planet” by David Attenborough. Attenborough, now 99, is widely regarded as the grandfather of the environmental movement. Released in 2020, the book’s full title — “My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future” — speaks to its ambition. He is the author of more than two dozen works on the environment and has hosted decades of television programs on the subject, many produced by the BBC.
Without a definitive guide to draw from, Climate Crisis247 looked at what major news outlets have said about books on climate change and the environment, reviewing commentary from The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and The Economist.
The following list reflects that methodology:
1. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert (2014)
NYT: Book editor Michiko Kakutani called it “arresting” and “lucid, chilling,” praising Kolbert’s explanatory journalism and reporting on human-driven extinctions. A second Times review named her one of the best science writers working today, with an “eloquent voice of conscience.” Guardian: Reviews were strongly positive, describing the book as “rigorous,” “disquieting,” “awe-inspiring,” and “fearsome” — a “contemporary classic.” One reviewer warned that up to half of the world’s current species could be gone by 2050. WaPo: A reviewer called it a “fascinating and frightening” tour of the Anthropocene — the period in which human activity has had a measurable impact on Earth’s environment. WSJ: Less enthusiastic; one reviewer felt the book placed too much emphasis on lost species at the expense of broader argument. Economist: Praised its documentation of human-caused problems, including climate change.
2. This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein (2014)
NYT: Called consequential, though one reviewer described it as “almost unreviewable” given the breadth of its material. Guardian: Praised as a “powerful and urgent polemic,” with reviewers noting its surprisingly calm tone despite the catastrophic subject matter.
3. The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells (2019)
NYT: Described as a “lushly written” account of “climate chaos.” Guardian: Noted for its depiction of a “terrifying future” and its “bracing” intent to startle readers into action.
4. Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming edited by Paul Hawken (2017)
Guardian: Reviewers appreciated its practical, even-handed survey of existing solutions. NYT / WaPo / WSJ / Economist / FT: Broadly positive, with praise for the book’s actionable, optimistic approach.
5. Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters by Steven E. Koonin (2021)
WSJ: Praised the author for kicking the “hornet’s nest” of scientific consensus and for offering a fact-based challenge to what it characterized as alarmist views. NYT / Guardian / WaPo: Largely negative, with reviewers describing the book as misleading and dismissive of real risks.
6. False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet by Bjørn Lomborg (2020)
NYT: Reviewer Joseph Stiglitz called the thesis “simple and simplistic,” arguing it failed to engage seriously with the dangers of climate change. Guardian: Grouped it among “lukewarmers” and accused it of taking “climate science denial to another level.” WSJ / Economist: Praised its data-driven pragmatism and focus on policies to help the poor.
