logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
9m 43s

'Not the End of the World' takes a solut...

NPR
About this episode
There are lots of reasons to worry about climate change: rising temperatures, rising sea levels, devastating natural disasters. But in her new book, Not the End of the World, data scientist Hannah Ritchie says there's actually a lot of factors trending in the right direction, like declines in poverty rates and carbon emissions per capita. In today's episode, Ritchie speaks with NPR's Andrew Limbong about why it's important to reframe our thinking on the future of the planet, and how our decisions can actually make a difference.

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Yesterday
'Odyssey' translator Emily Wilson on her book of essays 'Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea'
Emily Wilson is a classicist whose translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey are popular and controversial. Recently, she was at the center of the discourse surrounding Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of The Odyssey. Her new book of essays reflects on translation and the role ... Show More
7m 51s
Sep 14
Marlon James' novel 'The Disappearers' chronicles the aftermath of a violent attack
In 1988, a group of gay men gathered in Kingston, Jamaica to put on a play. At the time, homophobia in the country was rampant and sex between men was outlawed. Marlon James’ new novel The Disappearers is about a hateful mob attack at one of the group’s rehearsals. In an intervie ... Show More
8m 55s
Sep 11
Marking 25 years since Sept. 11 with 'All the Presidents' Wars' and 'Scattered Steel'
On today’s show, we mark the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 with two books that historicize the attacks. First, All the Presidents’ Wars focuses on anti-terror campaigns waged around the world over the past quarter century. Author Peter Bergen spoke with Morning Edition’s Steve Ins ... Show More
17m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Episode 7: Hannah Ritchie
When I start to feel overwhelmed by the climate challenges we face, I turn to Hannah Ritchie, a researcher at Our World in Data. Her data-driven approach is an essential antidote to environmental doomsday-ism and provides some much-needed optimism about humanity’s ability to tack ... Show More
30m 18s
Jan 2024
The Mend is Nigh: Hannah Ritchie on How to Build a Sustainable Planet
Hannah Ritchie is the influential data scientist and researcher whose new book adds a rare glimpse of optimism to the conversation surrounding the future health of the climate. Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet asks us to l ... Show More
50m 3s
Oct 2025
What the climate story gets wrong
The story we tell about climate change is mostly a story about loss. But look to the data, and that story starts to fall apart. Emissions are peaking in key sectors. Clean energy is scaling faster than anyone predicted. Real progress is happening. It’s just not happening in the w ... Show More
49m 6s
Apr 2024
Is Green Growth Possible?
<p>A decade ago, I was feeling pretty pessimistic about climate change. The politics of mitigating global warming just seemed impossible: asking people to make sacrifices, or countries to slow their development, and delay dreams of better, more prosperous lives.</p><p>But the wor ... Show More
1h 3m
Apr 2024
What Camels Teach Us About the Future
Global temperatures are rising, severe storms are intensifying and people are feeling climate anxiety. Does saving the planet mean living without comfort or convenience? Can policies and technology turn things around? CNN Chief Climate Correspondent, Bill Weir believes taking bet ... Show More
36m 16s