Elizabeth Kolbert examines the Anthropocene through the lens of techno-optimism and environmental intervention. She documents human attempts to fix ecological disasters caused by previous human interference. The narrative follows scientists as they attempt to electrify the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to stop invasive Asian carp, engineer heat-resistant "super corals" in Hawaii to survive warming oceans, and deploy carbon capture technology in Iceland. Kolbert details the proposal of stratospheric solar geoengineering, where researchers consider spraying reflective particles into the atmosphere to dim the sun and lower global temperatures.
Environmentalists and science enthusiasts read this book to understand the paradox of the modern conservation movement. Readers learn that "natural" solutions are often no longer viable, leaving only technological management as a survival strategy. The book provides a sobering look at how mankind creates new biological and atmospheric problems by trying to solve old ones. Those interested in climate policy walk away with a clear view of the logistical and ethical risks associated with large-scale planetary engineering.
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
