Synopsis
In 2006, NASA's top climate scientist warned that we have at most a decade to turn the tide on global warming. After that, James Hansen said, all bets are off. Temperature rises of 3 to 7 degrees Farenheit will "produce a different planet." If Hansen is right--and most scientists think he is--then every year lost is a year closer to the precipice. In more positive terms, we have one last chance--but one chance only--to save the planet.
This guide is about that last chance. It's a result of hundreds of how-do-we-do-this-right discussions over many years. Author and entrepreneur Peter Barnes want to share what he's learned in these discussions because the climate crisis must be solved now, and popular understanding is a pre-requisite to getting a solution that actually solves the problem.
As a result of these numerous discussions, Barnes come to appreciate that climate policy isn't as simple as one would want it to be. But it's not rocket science, either. When details get complicated, the key is to remember what we, as a nation and a species, must very quickly do: install a workable and lasting system for limiting our use of the atmosphere.