The Future We Choose is written by Christiana Figueres (a personal hero who architected the foundations for the unprecedented Paris Agreement), and Tom Rivett-Carnac (founding partner at Global Optimism). The book calls for a wide-eyed far-sighted and big-hearted response to the climate crisis, wherein we confront the scale of the challenge not with denial or fatalism, but rather with uncommon resolve and creative imagination.
Christina writes that “[The Paris Agreement negotiations] were populated with thousands of people who could explain in great detail and for many hours why there was absolutely no way through the myriad complexity to reach agreement. Changing that mindset was the hardest but most critical step we took.” They got done what had failed for more than 20 COPs. How?
Christina writes on that “[as] we learned during our stewardship of the Paris Agreement, if you do not control the complex landscape of a challenge (and you rarely do), the most powerful thing you can do is change how you behave in that landscape, yourself a catalyst for overall change. All too often in the face of a task, we move quickly to “doing” without first reflecting on “being” — what we can personally bring to the task, as well as what others might. And the most important thing we can bring is our state of mind.”
And so, the authors insist on the following three mindsets as foundational to any climate-conscious activist ready to take on the challenge rather than running away from the sheer scale and scope of the task before us. The three requisite mindsets are:
Stubborn optimism
Endless abundance
Radical regeneration
Through the conscious practice of developing and drawing on these mindsets, we can attack big problems with bottomless energy and enthusiasm. These mindsets are infectious, but first we must instil them so strongly within ourselves such that we can be the first to light the same fire in others as well.
Make no mistake. As some doomers like to point out, clinging to vague hopes about a better future when the science points to worse outcomes is also a kind of denial, “hopium” as it’s called in these circles. This is not what the authors are peddling. They are clear in their assessment that we are already too far down the road of destruction to solve/reverse climate change without serious consequences. The planet we knew is no more, the world will be changed before our eyes - from the extinction of species to transformation of entire biomes. In their own words, “the best we can do is keep the changes within a manageable range, staving off total calamity, preventing the disaster that will result from the unchecked rise of emissions. This, at least, might usher us out of crisis mode. It is the bare minimum we must do”.
And even winning the right to survive will be a historic challenge, that cannot be left to chance, complacency or cynicism to resolve itself, for better or worse. We must find the moral courage and spiritual strength to save ourselves and all the other denizens of this good earth. We must do “whatever is necessary”.
What’s the alternative? Giving up is too easy. No great and historic task was ever accomplished with full guarantees that it would succeed. But it was only completed because some stubborn humans went ahead and did it anyway. As Nelson Mandela wisely said, “it always seems impossible until it’s done”.
The following are 10 actions that the book’s authors recommend, which I find important to compile and share in this post. For each action, there are a few principles, which are listed in bullets.
Action 1: Let go of the old world
Focus on where we’re going, not on where we’ve been.
Build resilience to nostalgia.
Burst out of your bubble.
Action 2: Face your grief but hold a vision of the future
Start with why.
Imagination is essential.
Keep your eyes on what’s (yet) to come.
Action 3: Defend the truth
Free your mind (from distractions and untruths).
Learn to distinguish between real science and pseudoscience.
Don’t give up on climate deniers/skeptics.
Action 4: See yourself as a citizen—not as a consumer
Reclaim your idea of a good life.
Become a better consumer.
Dematerialise (your life).
Action 5: Move beyond fossil fuels
Stand up for 100 percent renewable energy.
Make a time-bound, ambitious plan.
Action 6: Reforest the earth
Plant (a lot of) trees.
Let nature flourish.
Go plant-based.
Boycott products contributing to deforestation.
Action 7: Invest in a clean economy
Put your money where it matters.
Action 8: Use technology responsibly
Find out if your government, community or company are investing in AI, and what they are using it for.
Action 9: Build gender equality
Action 10: Engage in politics
The book ends with a set of suggestions of what we (as climate-conscious activists) can do starting right this very moment. While there are some obvious recommendations like supporting the development of renewable energies, passionately and compassionately defending climate science in public conversations and planting a lot of trees, among others, essentially charging every reader to become a climate ambassador, I particularly liked the following recommendations.
“Take a deep breath and decide that collectively we can do this, and that you will play your part. You will be a hopeful visionary for humanity through these dark days. From this moment, despair ends and tactics begin.”
“Decide that you will be part of the politics of the future. You will vote for, campaign for, and support candidates who champion emissions reductions. Reject the politics of nostalgia. For the next ten years, this will be your number-one political priority.”
“Commit to reducing your impact on the climate by more than half of what it is today by 2030. Aim for 60 percent.”
“Think big. How do you most impact climate change, and what big things can you do to effect a regenerative future?”
Take care of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
“Go outside and look around. The world is damaged and hurting, but it is also beautiful and intact and whole. Feel the gratitude we owe the Earth for her bounty and beauty.”
I hope this has been a good summary of the book. Please pass it on if you found it useful. Let’s get to work!