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What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures
Our climate future is not yet written.
What if we act as if we love the future?
Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side. This provocative and joyous book maps an inspiring landscape of possible climate futures.
Through clear-eyed essays and vibrant conversations, infused with data, poetry, and art, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson guides us through solutions and possibilities at the nexus of science, policy, culture, and justice. Visionary farmers and financers, architects and advocates help us conjure a flourishing future, one worth the effort it will take—from all of us, with whatever we have to offer—to create.
If you haven’t yet been able to picture a transformed and replenished world—or see yourself, your loved ones, and your community in it— this book is for you. If you haven’t yet found your role in shaping this new world, or you’re not sure how we can actually get there, this book is for you.
With grace, humor, and humanity, Ayana invites readers to ask and answer this ultimate question, What if we get it right?
On imagination, possibility, and transformation with
Paola Antonelli
Xiye Bastida & Ayisha Siddiqa
Jade Begay
Régine Clément
Abigail Dillen
Brian Donahue
Kelly Sims Gallagher
Rhiana Gunn-Wright
Corley Kenna
Bryan C. Lee Jr. & Kate Orff
Franklin Leonard & Adam McKay
Bill McKibben
Kate Marvel
Samantha Montano
Leah Penniman
Colette Pichon Battle
Kendra Pierre-Louis
Judith D. Schwartz
Jigar Shah
Bren Smith
Oana Stanescu
Mustafa Suleyman
What if we act as if we love the future?
Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side. This provocative and joyous book maps an inspiring landscape of possible climate futures.
Through clear-eyed essays and vibrant conversations, infused with data, poetry, and art, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson guides us through solutions and possibilities at the nexus of science, policy, culture, and justice. Visionary farmers and financers, architects and advocates help us conjure a flourishing future, one worth the effort it will take—from all of us, with whatever we have to offer—to create.
If you haven’t yet been able to picture a transformed and replenished world—or see yourself, your loved ones, and your community in it— this book is for you. If you haven’t yet found your role in shaping this new world, or you’re not sure how we can actually get there, this book is for you.
With grace, humor, and humanity, Ayana invites readers to ask and answer this ultimate question, What if we get it right?
On imagination, possibility, and transformation with
Paola Antonelli
Xiye Bastida & Ayisha Siddiqa
Jade Begay
Régine Clément
Abigail Dillen
Brian Donahue
Kelly Sims Gallagher
Rhiana Gunn-Wright
Corley Kenna
Bryan C. Lee Jr. & Kate Orff
Franklin Leonard & Adam McKay
Bill McKibben
Kate Marvel
Samantha Montano
Leah Penniman
Colette Pichon Battle
Kendra Pierre-Louis
Judith D. Schwartz
Jigar Shah
Bren Smith
Oana Stanescu
Mustafa Suleyman
496 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2024
1369 people are currently reading
18055 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
October 26, 2024
This book is A+. It has inspired climate activism in me. The form is brilliant. Dr. Johnson makes you fall in love with her passion and outlook. This is such a fantastic holistic way to see climate and our responsibilities. Yes.
May 22, 2025
3.5 stars
I appreciated how this book integrated a hopeful perspective with concrete action. The perils of climate change were acknowledged as well as things we can each do to try and make a difference. There was an overall solid diversity in the voices included in this collection. I will say I didn’t love how the format was essentially interview after interview; the format itself was thus a bit monotonous to me, though the insights from the interviews are important.
I appreciated how this book integrated a hopeful perspective with concrete action. The perils of climate change were acknowledged as well as things we can each do to try and make a difference. There was an overall solid diversity in the voices included in this collection. I will say I didn’t love how the format was essentially interview after interview; the format itself was thus a bit monotonous to me, though the insights from the interviews are important.
September 28, 2024
My sweetheart recommended this book to me during our second date and gave me a copy to read. By the time I finished reading the prelude and the introduction I had fallen in love. With the book. And with the person who shared it with me; and with the possibilities it shows are achievable if we get it right.
It’s rare to find such a wonderful mix of practicality, imagination, wonky insight, inquisitiveness, light-heartedness, joy and keen style in one book. Reading it was deeply enjoyable. It left me convinced that the future could be an incredible place to live, and it gave me a sense of the lengthy to-do list that humanity (you & me & everyone) needs to work through if we’re going to ward off apocalypse and build the world we want.
There’s even a playlist to rock out to while we work!
It’s rare to find such a wonderful mix of practicality, imagination, wonky insight, inquisitiveness, light-heartedness, joy and keen style in one book. Reading it was deeply enjoyable. It left me convinced that the future could be an incredible place to live, and it gave me a sense of the lengthy to-do list that humanity (you & me & everyone) needs to work through if we’re going to ward off apocalypse and build the world we want.
There’s even a playlist to rock out to while we work!
September 25, 2024
(3.5)
Obviously an important topic, but the quality of the interviews included varies quite a bit. While a few stand out in good and bad ways—the AI one was borderline idiotic—most have the vibe of unremarkable TED talks or random podcast episodes. Which isn’t to say that the interview subjects aren’t doing important work nor should we ignore their fields of study and activism. It’s more an issue of curation and the structure/editing of the book. Still worth reading for the broad scope and range of perspectives included. I wouldn’t say it gave me hope, but the passion and dedication of these folks was inspiring.
Obviously an important topic, but the quality of the interviews included varies quite a bit. While a few stand out in good and bad ways—the AI one was borderline idiotic—most have the vibe of unremarkable TED talks or random podcast episodes. Which isn’t to say that the interview subjects aren’t doing important work nor should we ignore their fields of study and activism. It’s more an issue of curation and the structure/editing of the book. Still worth reading for the broad scope and range of perspectives included. I wouldn’t say it gave me hope, but the passion and dedication of these folks was inspiring.
April 17, 2024
Another book of climate optimism and focus on solutions. If you're looking for a way to re-wire your brain and take real action to resolve this extremely complicated issue that requires pressuring policy makers and fossil fuel companies and essentially the war machine to end business as usual, this is one of the books to keep in your burn-out & recruitment self-care toolbox.
July 20, 2024
This is an invaluable contribution to climate activism. Though, as Johnson points out, it's more important to DO something about the crisis than to merely communicate about it, this immense effort to communicate about so many different elements of the fight provides the reader with an incredible blueprint for getting involved. Some chapters will only be relevant to a small number of people (like the one about wealth management for ultra-rich families), but they are clearly included for that important niche audience, and are still interesting to read about. Most, though, are much more broadly applicable, especially information about pushes for banks and other financial institutions to divest, and various ways to make farming more sustainable (which people can contribute to, depending on their circumstances, in limited but meaningful ways).
The book is structured primarily around interviews with activists, scientists, economists, and other figures, which makes it very readable and digestible; it's easy to dip in and out. Crucially, too, though Johnson does not hesitate to acknowledge the enormity of the problem, she focuses on solutions. I often find myself avoiding reading in-depth climate stories because I know they will send me into a spiral of anxiety, and this book accomplishes the task of informing its readers about the challenges but also making you want to contribute to the solution.
If I could make everyone in the world buy one book right now — if I could magically deliver it to everyone like Oprah — it would be this one.
The book is structured primarily around interviews with activists, scientists, economists, and other figures, which makes it very readable and digestible; it's easy to dip in and out. Crucially, too, though Johnson does not hesitate to acknowledge the enormity of the problem, she focuses on solutions. I often find myself avoiding reading in-depth climate stories because I know they will send me into a spiral of anxiety, and this book accomplishes the task of informing its readers about the challenges but also making you want to contribute to the solution.
If I could make everyone in the world buy one book right now — if I could magically deliver it to everyone like Oprah — it would be this one.
March 2, 2025
This book means so much to me. It made me cry almost every time I picked it up. Not even sad tears, but tears over how beautiful humanity and our planet is and tears of joy and love. It made me reevaluate my life and my role in climate justice. The book is a collection of poems and interviews with various people in the climate world, from journalists to organizers to scientists. It is organized into different topics within the climate crisis with problems and possibilities framing each section. It is not an out-of-touch book about “hoping for the best” but it’s a love letter to our people, planet, and future.
Everyone needs to read this book (or at least some chapters)!! Here are my favorite chapters in (rough) favorite order:
- Building Indigenous Power (Jade Begay)
- Seeds and Sovereignty (Leah Penniman)
- Diasporas and Home (Colette Pichon Battle)
- First, Nature (Judith D. Schwartz)
- Kids These Days (Xiye Bastida and Ayisha Siddiqa)
- Divest and Protest (Bill McKibben)
- Neighborhoods and Landscape (Bryan C. Lee Jr. and Kate Orff)
- A Blue New Deal
- A Green New Deal (Rhiana Gunn-Wright)
- Climate Oath
- A Note on Hope
I also highly recommend the audiobook. Ayana recorded all of the interviews, which makes the reading/listening experience more powerful, intimate, and engaging.
Everyone needs to read this book (or at least some chapters)!! Here are my favorite chapters in (rough) favorite order:
- Building Indigenous Power (Jade Begay)
- Seeds and Sovereignty (Leah Penniman)
- Diasporas and Home (Colette Pichon Battle)
- First, Nature (Judith D. Schwartz)
- Kids These Days (Xiye Bastida and Ayisha Siddiqa)
- Divest and Protest (Bill McKibben)
- Neighborhoods and Landscape (Bryan C. Lee Jr. and Kate Orff)
- A Blue New Deal
- A Green New Deal (Rhiana Gunn-Wright)
- Climate Oath
- A Note on Hope
I also highly recommend the audiobook. Ayana recorded all of the interviews, which makes the reading/listening experience more powerful, intimate, and engaging.
September 4, 2025
Rec. by: The crisis at hand; Roxana, via David; a GR giveaway; and a personal appearance at Powell's
Rec. for: Hope fiends
It is not at all Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's fault that reading What If We Get It Right? in 2025 is so heartbreaking—just as we are getting so many things wrong. (Bringing back asbestos? Really? Stupidly murderous, or murderously stupid? ¿Por qué no los dos?)
What If We Get It Right? was published in early 2024, when our situation did not seem quite so dire... and I have to admit that I drew some hope from it, even now. Lord knows we need some optimism in these benighted times.
What If We Get It Right? is a big book, a dense book, about some terrifying topics, but it's also (dare I say it?) a lot of fun. It's remarkably information-rich as well. I took a couple of weeks to read the whole thing, but then Johnson's work rewards such careful perusal—Ayana Elizabeth Johnson really does deliver. And she is not at all a climate scold. What Johnson wants is to work with other smart people to come up with solutions, not just to reiterate yet again the problems we're facing (although there's a lot of that, too).
The first interview is called "Earth Is the Best Planet," and it really sets the tone. Here's just a brief excerpt from Johnson's conversation with climate scientist and communicator Kate Marvel:
There are a lot of quotable moments like this in What If We Get It Right?...
It is especially disheartening to see so many positive comments about the President, only to realize that they refer to someone who is no longer in office. But I still think the hopeful tone of What If We Get It Right? is both necessary and justified—that we can and should claw our way back to where Johnson is coming from.
After all, and with apologies to Ursula LeGuin, the word for this world is actually water.
In conclusion... I will quote this model "Climate Oath" (based on the Hippocratic Oath) pretty much verbatim; it's worth considering in detail. From page 422:
What If We Get It Right? finishes up with a list, a wishful list, of what it'd look like if we do somehow get it right... it's utopian fiction, to be sure, but...
What if?
Rec. for: Hope fiends
It is not at all Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's fault that reading What If We Get It Right? in 2025 is so heartbreaking—just as we are getting so many things wrong. (Bringing back asbestos? Really? Stupidly murderous, or murderously stupid? ¿Por qué no los dos?)
What If We Get It Right? was published in early 2024, when our situation did not seem quite so dire... and I have to admit that I drew some hope from it, even now. Lord knows we need some optimism in these benighted times.
What If We Get It Right? is a big book, a dense book, about some terrifying topics, but it's also (dare I say it?) a lot of fun. It's remarkably information-rich as well. I took a couple of weeks to read the whole thing, but then Johnson's work rewards such careful perusal—Ayana Elizabeth Johnson really does deliver. And she is not at all a climate scold. What Johnson wants is to work with other smart people to come up with solutions, not just to reiterate yet again the problems we're facing (although there's a lot of that, too).
The first interview is called "Earth Is the Best Planet," and it really sets the tone. Here's just a brief excerpt from Johnson's conversation with climate scientist and communicator Kate Marvel:
Kate: {...} We have to learn about other planets because otherwise how would we know how terrible they are? I'm very supportive of research on other planets.
Ayana: You're hate-following other planets.
Kate: Totally. But these billionaires saying, oh, we'll just go live on Mars. Like, you won't even go to the Bronx, you're not living on Mars.
Ayana: Hahaha. That is so right.
—p.17
There are a lot of quotable moments like this in What If We Get It Right?...
It's terrifying that the U.S. Congress plays such a big role in global climate policy.
—Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, p.149
All of this should happen straightforwardly, and none of it will happen straightforwardly. It's going to take, as always, lots of pressure and campaigning. That's the story of the whole climate fight. Every time I end up in jail, I think, "This is incredibly stupid. Why do I have to go to jail to get people to pay attention to physics?"
—Bill McKibben, later on p.149
It is especially disheartening to see so many positive comments about the President, only to realize that they refer to someone who is no longer in office. But I still think the hopeful tone of What If We Get It Right? is both necessary and justified—that we can and should claw our way back to where Johnson is coming from.
Twenty percent of Americans live in coastal cities, where nearly 60% of those residents are people of color, 51% are renters, 26% are immigrants, and 16% live in poverty—all higher than the national averages. So getting ocean-climate policy right in cities isn't a "coastal elite" issue, it's about 1 in 5 Americans, a diverse cross-section of our society.
—Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, p.321
After all, and with apologies to Ursula LeGuin, the word for this world is actually water.
Don't quit on big ideas. No matter who is in office, keep pushing. Relentlessly, assiduously pursue change from every angle, at every opportunity. Pry open windows of opportunity.
—Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, p.322
As environmental laws become more and more important, they're becoming political targets because they're having real economic consequences.
—Abigail Dillen, p.328
This is a moment for democracy to either get a second breath or it's where democracy is going to die.
—Colette Pichon Battle, p.367
Colette: {...} If we're going to go have a conversation about climate solutions, let's root it in joy and abundance as opposed to fear and scarcity.
Ayana: And community.
Colette: And community. That is what we have to acknowledge, Ayana. We live in a society—not just the U.S. but all of the Westernized nations—where individualism has been awarded, rewarded, and advanced. But the only way we're going to make it through this next phase of our planet is together. We're gonna have to remember what it is to actually be in a community. It's odd for people whose daily interaction is on a technological device, physically alone while pretending you're together. We've forgotten how much energy it takes to just be in a room with a lot of people. It's work.
—from "Diasporas and Home," p.369
In conclusion... I will quote this model "Climate Oath" (based on the Hippocratic Oath) pretty much verbatim; it's worth considering in detail. From page 422:
On the majesty of turquoise seas, and fireflies, and aspen trees,
On the honor of our parents, our ancestors, and humans-to-come,
On the wonders of laughter and sunshine,
I make these devotions to climate solutions for my community and for our magnificent planet.
We will expand our sense of interdependency.
We will rein in our sense of individualism.
We will ask, "What should we do, together?"
Survival is collective, our fates are intertwined.
We will restore and heal, not pollute and deplete.
We will regenerate ecosystems and our own resolve.
We will live lightly, as part of the Earth.
Accountability, generosity, and sweetness.
We will expand our creativity and contract our consumerism.
We will conserve, and distinguish between needing and wanting.
We will be gentle with our own imperfections and others.
There is such a thing as enough. Basta.
This is a world of our making.
We can remake it, remix it, restore it, rebalance it.
The path of least resistance is only one of many paths.
I will be part of getting it right.
We will be part of getting it right.
What If We Get It Right? finishes up with a list, a wishful list, of what it'd look like if we do somehow get it right... it's utopian fiction, to be sure, but...
What if?
April 29, 2025
This is an incredibly important read, and one that is not only palatable to someone who usually avoids this topic due to anxiety, but hopeful and affirming. Not giving the full five stars but only because this is more of a collection of podcast episodes than a book with an overarching narrative.
[4.5 stars]
[4.5 stars]
April 22, 2025
4.5
Everyone should read this. There’s something in it for everyone. While i kinda slogged/zoned out through some of the more policy and economics oriented parts, i still found the overall effect to be impactful and enlightening, and there were other parts that were more engaging for the kind of reader and person that i am. I highly recommend the audiobook, as it is basically a long-form podcast!
Everyone should read this. There’s something in it for everyone. While i kinda slogged/zoned out through some of the more policy and economics oriented parts, i still found the overall effect to be impactful and enlightening, and there were other parts that were more engaging for the kind of reader and person that i am. I highly recommend the audiobook, as it is basically a long-form podcast!
November 5, 2024
Great content, many many perspectives, made me feel excited to do more. Beautiful quotes and ideas.
Only reason it's not five stars is because I had trouble with the format. I think the interviews could have been edited down into essays that would have retained the voice but been more concise to read. I had to put it down a few times because of the format.
Other than that I would recommend!
Only reason it's not five stars is because I had trouble with the format. I think the interviews could have been edited down into essays that would have retained the voice but been more concise to read. I had to put it down a few times because of the format.
Other than that I would recommend!
January 13, 2025
This is one of the most important books I have ever read and I can’t stop talking about it. Before reading it I never thought of myself as a climate warrior type, though I cared, but now I see that truly every societal problem is connected to the climate and climate solutions. There is no way humanity can be happy while our world dies. Just being aware of the powerful minds at work on this problem has led me to unconsciously make different lifestyle choices because I feel icky getting in the way of the beautiful solutions that are already kicked off.
June 13, 2025
This book manages to have a cohesive theme and narrative despite an incredibly broad set of interviewees and topics - I really enjoyed listening to the interviews on audio (though occasionally opened the pdf to view art and photos).
February 1, 2025
““Listen to the scientists!” (Spoiler: They did not listen.)”
December 7, 2024
I want to give this book a thousand stars. Great if you’re just starting in the climate/sustainability world, and still great if you’ve been here for a while. I love the intersection of all industries, and the positive tone was needed and appreciated- especially now. I feel re-energized and inspired!!
October 28, 2024
10+ stars. I listened to the audiobook and it’s like listening to individual podcasts with the expert/activists that are prominent in different parts of the fight. It’s organized by larger categories and poetry and the author’s comments sprinkled in. Love that there’s a lot of hope even though progress and politics at times can be discouraging.
November 1, 2024
Refilled my cup, and re-energised me for the work ahead.
December 12, 2024
The most important book you’ll read if you plan on being a human on this earth
February 6, 2025
This book is a must-read !
This book reminded me that there are so many ways that we can do the work to protect the planet. We need farmers, scientists, storytellers, lawyers, policymakers, comedians, activists, and so much more. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson interviewed experts in all of these areas.
It’s just so cool to listen to people who know SO MUCH in their field. My favorite interview was with Jigar Shah who was the director of the Loan Programs Office in the US Department of Energy from March 2021 to January 2025. I just loved his optimism that eventually there will be a political moment where everyone will be all-in… and how his job was to make sure we have the technology to meet the moment. It was so inspiring to me!!
I think this book will have something for everyone and help folks to see that we all have unique talents and skills that can help us “get it right”
A note on format: this book is primarily a collection of interviews. The audiobook is a recording of the interviews that (I think) are lightly edited. The print book is essentially a collection of transcripts of these interviews but the transcripts are sometimes significantly edited to shorten or for clarity. Because of this, some chapters the print and audio are pretty different. Especially the See You In Court chapter, about half of the interview is cut in the print book. There may be others but that was one that I noticed. This was really the only downside of this book for me. I think it’s an accessibility issue when the print and audio do not match. I hope this doesn’t deter you from reading with your eyeballs or ears—but wanted to mention it!
This book reminded me that there are so many ways that we can do the work to protect the planet. We need farmers, scientists, storytellers, lawyers, policymakers, comedians, activists, and so much more. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson interviewed experts in all of these areas.
It’s just so cool to listen to people who know SO MUCH in their field. My favorite interview was with Jigar Shah who was the director of the Loan Programs Office in the US Department of Energy from March 2021 to January 2025. I just loved his optimism that eventually there will be a political moment where everyone will be all-in… and how his job was to make sure we have the technology to meet the moment. It was so inspiring to me!!
I think this book will have something for everyone and help folks to see that we all have unique talents and skills that can help us “get it right”
A note on format: this book is primarily a collection of interviews. The audiobook is a recording of the interviews that (I think) are lightly edited. The print book is essentially a collection of transcripts of these interviews but the transcripts are sometimes significantly edited to shorten or for clarity. Because of this, some chapters the print and audio are pretty different. Especially the See You In Court chapter, about half of the interview is cut in the print book. There may be others but that was one that I noticed. This was really the only downside of this book for me. I think it’s an accessibility issue when the print and audio do not match. I hope this doesn’t deter you from reading with your eyeballs or ears—but wanted to mention it!
July 30, 2025
This was a valuable book mostly comprising of interviews with climate activists, forward-thinking farm/fishery workers, and earth scientists with diverse specialties; the author herself is a marine biologist who is very involved with the Blue New Deal proposal and sits on the board of Patagonia, among other eco-focused positions. Her book is a wealth of information and insight which gave me tons of perspective I would never have thought of. What if We Get it Right? succeeds in Contextualizing. The book also strives to be actionable & implementable for the reader. On this it has varying degrees of success and/or failure. On that note: there are a lot of footnotes in this book, many are very informal, can be distracting tbh though it's clear that the one of the aims of the work is to be personable and relatable.
I am not aiming for this to be a critical review but I do have a couple of points which stuck out to me:
1. Super duper Americentric. This weakens the effect because the book is focused on program 'wins' under the Biden administration which are generally not priorities for Trump 2, if not defunded and defanged entirely.
1A. More on the Americentrism: there is a bit of a hole in this book where the vocal critiques of American neoimperialism as it relates to the developing world's issues with developing green industry, the US military as one of the largest polluters on Earth, and the horrific effects that modern largely aerial warfare has on our climate systems (I am thinking of the devastating genocide by bombing in Gaza, the mass-killing in countries such as Sudan and Congo in service to resource extraction, and so on) could have been. It's not that these topics are not touched on by some of the interviewed subjects but they are not named explicitly or pressed by the author. In a book that is so overtly pro-Biden this absence felt slightly conspicuous.
2. The chapter on AI was a complete softball towards tech, who are some of the worst abusers of our planets resources both in their (often impossible to ethically source at scale) products as well as their intertwining with politicians who enable the fossil fuel industry, the military-industrial complex, etc. And I would maybe write that off as well it was written in '23/'24 and times have changed rapidly but there is a section of art in this book which is AI-generated. So, hm.
I am not aiming for this to be a critical review but I do have a couple of points which stuck out to me:
1. Super duper Americentric. This weakens the effect because the book is focused on program 'wins' under the Biden administration which are generally not priorities for Trump 2, if not defunded and defanged entirely.
1A. More on the Americentrism: there is a bit of a hole in this book where the vocal critiques of American neoimperialism as it relates to the developing world's issues with developing green industry, the US military as one of the largest polluters on Earth, and the horrific effects that modern largely aerial warfare has on our climate systems (I am thinking of the devastating genocide by bombing in Gaza, the mass-killing in countries such as Sudan and Congo in service to resource extraction, and so on) could have been. It's not that these topics are not touched on by some of the interviewed subjects but they are not named explicitly or pressed by the author. In a book that is so overtly pro-Biden this absence felt slightly conspicuous.
2. The chapter on AI was a complete softball towards tech, who are some of the worst abusers of our planets resources both in their (often impossible to ethically source at scale) products as well as their intertwining with politicians who enable the fossil fuel industry, the military-industrial complex, etc. And I would maybe write that off as well it was written in '23/'24 and times have changed rapidly but there is a section of art in this book which is AI-generated. So, hm.
January 28, 2025
I placed a hold on this book back in September when I thought we were about to elect our first female president who would continue and expand upon climate change initiatives set forth over the past four years. I was wrong.
It finally came available in a week when instead the US withdrew from the Paris agreement and rolled back the majority of the (small) advancements that have been made. Part of me wanted to bury my head in the sand and just. Not read it. But part of Johnson's point in this book is that we can't afford to, but we can afford to adopt a solutions oriented, future driven approach to thinking about climate change rather than catastrophe porn.
I must admit when I first started I remember feeling a bit cheated thinking this book was going to be carefully synthesized and instead seeing blocks of interview text transcribed by AI powered transcription software. I remember thinking "... why didn't she just make it a podcast?" But over time I began to see the value in showcasing the direct words of her interviewed sources, as their language captures their passion well. Plus, as to the why not a podcast, the footnotes added a great deal of value that I would have missed had it been an audio format.
I also really appreciated the way this book handled intersectionality of this issue. I saw more than normal how much identity shapes the way people view and experience climate change, and also the ways it inspires them to address it. And the unjust ways in which it will more drastically affect certain groups
It finally came available in a week when instead the US withdrew from the Paris agreement and rolled back the majority of the (small) advancements that have been made. Part of me wanted to bury my head in the sand and just. Not read it. But part of Johnson's point in this book is that we can't afford to, but we can afford to adopt a solutions oriented, future driven approach to thinking about climate change rather than catastrophe porn.
I must admit when I first started I remember feeling a bit cheated thinking this book was going to be carefully synthesized and instead seeing blocks of interview text transcribed by AI powered transcription software. I remember thinking "... why didn't she just make it a podcast?" But over time I began to see the value in showcasing the direct words of her interviewed sources, as their language captures their passion well. Plus, as to the why not a podcast, the footnotes added a great deal of value that I would have missed had it been an audio format.
I also really appreciated the way this book handled intersectionality of this issue. I saw more than normal how much identity shapes the way people view and experience climate change, and also the ways it inspires them to address it. And the unjust ways in which it will more drastically affect certain groups
February 23, 2025
Phenomenal. If you, like me, find yourself feeling hopeless or anxious about the state of the world in regard to climate and the way we treat the earth, this book is well-worth reading. It left me feeling reinvigorated and did bring me to tears of hope and inspiration a few times.
HIGHLY recommend the audio format which uses audio from the actual interviews that each chapter is based on, so it feels like a series of podcast episodes interviewing each specialist interspersed with poetry and lists of facts and data.
HIGHLY recommend the audio format which uses audio from the actual interviews that each chapter is based on, so it feels like a series of podcast episodes interviewing each specialist interspersed with poetry and lists of facts and data.
May 19, 2025
Blunt & realistic! I really appreciated the 10 possibilities and 10 problems at the start of each section, I thought they helped ground the subject matter throughout the interviews. The gap between the highs and lows was intense though, not surprising but still.
My favorite section was probably ‘culture is the context’, but the interview with Bren Smith in ‘transformation’ was wonderful. His final anecdote about the rancher and the steel cable was the perfect note to end on, I think it summed up Johnson’s message of effort/dedication in a simple and beautiful way.
My favorite section was probably ‘culture is the context’, but the interview with Bren Smith in ‘transformation’ was wonderful. His final anecdote about the rancher and the steel cable was the perfect note to end on, I think it summed up Johnson’s message of effort/dedication in a simple and beautiful way.
January 25, 2025
Remarkable collection of interviews from the brilliant climate expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Johnson interviews experts across all fields and reframes the climate crisis by focusing on what we already know, what’s possible and how can we get it right. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the newest administration, I suggest spending time with this one. Highly recommend the audio (a mere 22 hours) but digestible!
June 16, 2025
Incredible as an audiobook, could see it being a slog in print.
January 1, 2025
Everyone should read this book. I learned so much and feel empowered by this knowledge. So much to keep learning and DOING.
March 5, 2025
Really great, interesting, informative book which really inspires action. Struggled at first reading it with all the knowledge of how much harder climate action is now (and this book was published in 2024!) but as I continued it really opened my eyes to what is possible and the incredible work people are already doing.
October 25, 2024
5+ stars
There is hope, there are tangible things we can do, and we can create a future that is so much better than what we have now.
There is hope, there are tangible things we can do, and we can create a future that is so much better than what we have now.
May 27, 2025
I can’t overstate how inspired I am. Going in, I was fascinated by the prospect of renewable energy reliance and thought electric vehicles were cool. But this introduced me to a whole world of new possibilities. Looking for solutions in nature itself, building climate-smart infrastructure and architecture, revolutionizing the current investment paradigm (the banks that hold our money also engage in financing fossil fuel companies to the tune of trillions of dollars!), reforming courts and influencing policy while ensuring justice and equity are at the forefront, designing better and more common-sense disaster relief, the list goes on and on.
Maybe my excitement will be fleeting but at various points I was contemplating things I would never have ever considered before: Switching to a plant-based diet, writing to my local politicians, pursuing a career in environmental law. The book convincingly outlines the problems we face with eye-opening statistics and provides amazing but realistic solutions in the form of interviews with a diverse cast of individuals. It culminates in a beautiful vision of the future, one that is within reach, given our technological progress but assuming political changes and societal mobilization.
I do have a few criticisms though. The pursuit can sometimes feel a bit naive and at other times privileged. For example painting a picture of the world where “there are no more petro-states enabling petro-dictators” ignores economic and geopolitical realities that cannot be solved by clean energy solutions alone or US climate activism. And I say ‘privileged’ because, while I fully support regulations that protect the environment, taken to extremes, they can risk prioritizing nature over entire populations of vulnerable humans. For example, is it worth shutting down an entire affordable housing project to protect an ecosystem if the alternative is hundreds of people left homeless? Similarly, we must be careful not to become so regulation-obsessed that the same laws and protections prohibiting building over natural landscapes make it impossible to build renewable energy infrastructure and other necessary things. Lastly, there is an undeniable focus on the US, which makes sense given we live here—but as everyone is aware, climate change is a global issue. I think the complacency with the current structure of global climate agreements like the Paris Agreement is an important problem left unaddressed. There is so much potential for great work to be done in the US, and we have seen great contributions from China and the EU; but there will always be freeloading by other members if nothing changes. A better structure, one that imposes penalties on non-participating countries or ones that fail to meet commitments and that incentivizes participation (e.g., William Nordhaus’ Climate Club) is crucial if we are going to make any progress on a global scale.
And then there’s the unfortunate fact that this book’s optimism has aged very poorly in light of the Trump administration’s climate denial, embrace of drilling for oil and gas, deregulation of EPA, dismantling of the IRA, attacks on FEMA, etc.
Maybe my excitement will be fleeting but at various points I was contemplating things I would never have ever considered before: Switching to a plant-based diet, writing to my local politicians, pursuing a career in environmental law. The book convincingly outlines the problems we face with eye-opening statistics and provides amazing but realistic solutions in the form of interviews with a diverse cast of individuals. It culminates in a beautiful vision of the future, one that is within reach, given our technological progress but assuming political changes and societal mobilization.
I do have a few criticisms though. The pursuit can sometimes feel a bit naive and at other times privileged. For example painting a picture of the world where “there are no more petro-states enabling petro-dictators” ignores economic and geopolitical realities that cannot be solved by clean energy solutions alone or US climate activism. And I say ‘privileged’ because, while I fully support regulations that protect the environment, taken to extremes, they can risk prioritizing nature over entire populations of vulnerable humans. For example, is it worth shutting down an entire affordable housing project to protect an ecosystem if the alternative is hundreds of people left homeless? Similarly, we must be careful not to become so regulation-obsessed that the same laws and protections prohibiting building over natural landscapes make it impossible to build renewable energy infrastructure and other necessary things. Lastly, there is an undeniable focus on the US, which makes sense given we live here—but as everyone is aware, climate change is a global issue. I think the complacency with the current structure of global climate agreements like the Paris Agreement is an important problem left unaddressed. There is so much potential for great work to be done in the US, and we have seen great contributions from China and the EU; but there will always be freeloading by other members if nothing changes. A better structure, one that imposes penalties on non-participating countries or ones that fail to meet commitments and that incentivizes participation (e.g., William Nordhaus’ Climate Club) is crucial if we are going to make any progress on a global scale.
And then there’s the unfortunate fact that this book’s optimism has aged very poorly in light of the Trump administration’s climate denial, embrace of drilling for oil and gas, deregulation of EPA, dismantling of the IRA, attacks on FEMA, etc.
February 22, 2025
Refreshing, inspiring, and exactly what I needed, didn’t know I needed, and could have hoped for. These are cathartic tears. I apparently made a staggering 608 highlights, so I will be able to peruse these any time I need a refresher, or a little morale boost when the state of affairs inevitably all gets to be too much.
What If We Get It Right? consists of a series of interviews with people at the forefront of climate action and resiliency. This format is a bit of a departure from how nonfiction books are usually structured, and while it may take some getting used to, I think this choice was a net positive for a couple reasons: 1) you get a diverse range of voices, providing clear delineation of each topic and offers a multitude of perspectives, rather than a single authorial point of view, and 2) makes the whole thing more accessible for the reader, because it reads like the conversation it is without the a bunch of clunky citations disrupting the flow. (Something like “A 2017 study published in the Journal of Such & Such by Jane Doe et al concluded something very academic with a bunch of numbers and convoluted wording” doesn’t make for the smoothest reading experience. There’s some facts and numbers in this book too, they’re just comparatively less prevalent than in other books and are largely confined to footnotes.)
What If We Get It Right? consists of a series of interviews with people at the forefront of climate action and resiliency. This format is a bit of a departure from how nonfiction books are usually structured, and while it may take some getting used to, I think this choice was a net positive for a couple reasons: 1) you get a diverse range of voices, providing clear delineation of each topic and offers a multitude of perspectives, rather than a single authorial point of view, and 2) makes the whole thing more accessible for the reader, because it reads like the conversation it is without the a bunch of clunky citations disrupting the flow. (Something like “A 2017 study published in the Journal of Such & Such by Jane Doe et al concluded something very academic with a bunch of numbers and convoluted wording” doesn’t make for the smoothest reading experience. There’s some facts and numbers in this book too, they’re just comparatively less prevalent than in other books and are largely confined to footnotes.)
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