Climate of Hope

March 1, 2017
Just in time for Earth Day, yes, a hopeful book of strategies for delivering the planet from our worst environmental depredations."Cities and nations thrive when leaders anticipate the future--and dream big," writes former New York mayor and media magnate Bloomberg, who partners with former Sierra Club chairman Pope in alternating chapters. In a time when national leadership seems bent on denying the facts of climate change and failing to plan for the likely consequences of it, the authors propose that smaller-scale efforts are more likely to produce the desired results, efforts that "empower cities, regions, businesses, and citizens to accelerate the progress they are already making on their own." For instance, Pope--who seems, on the whole, wonkier than Bloomberg--looks at ways in which electrical utilities can lead the way in shifting to renewable sources of power as opposed to being forced into it, one measurable result of which has been bad blood in coal country as a result of the Obama administration's headlong plunge into cleaning up the coal industry without making necessary provisions for the workers who would be left jobless. Which isn't to say that Bloomberg isn't without his techno-nerdy side: he writes assuredly of the many ways in which cities such as New York have re-envisioned the role of the automobile, though with a political slogan or two tucked inside his prose for good measure: "more city leaders are recognizing that when the interests of cars and people diverge, people should come first." Elsewhere, Bloomberg looks into the role of buildings in climate change--they are, as he notes, responsible for some 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions--while Pope notes that the future of climate change is not yet written, though sticking to a reasonable and salutary regime of energy consumption will "take decades to be felt." Whether this is an exercise in thinking globally and acting locally or vice versa, a thoughtful, eminently reasonable set of proposals for saving New York--and therefore the world.

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April 15, 2017

Bloomberg, former New York City mayor, and Pope, former chairman of the Sierra Club, offer a pragmatic take on climate change focused not on landscapes or endangered species but on the economy. They aim to take the campaign for environmental change out of Washington and put it in the hands of businesses, consumers, and local governments. Through their own experiences, such as Bloomberg's closing areas of Times Square to cars and Pope's work shutting down inefficient coal plants, the authors demonstrate how cities and individual organizations can make an impact. An analysis of agriculture, manufacturing, energy, construction, and transportation illustrates that resource-efficient practices benefit individual companies, related industries, and the larger economy. Singular efforts, such as replanting mangrove forests, reap multiple benefits in reducing carbon in the atmosphere, protecting valuable coastal property from hurricanes and erosion, and increasing the catch for local fishermen. Bloomberg and Pope enthusiastically share their own successes making innovative change and celebrate projects around the globe. Their optimistic premise--that people don't have to choose between the environment and the economy--will appeal to a wide audience. VERDICT A valuable book on a hot topic that should circulate well; for most public, high school, and academic libraries.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2017
Two seasoned experts with very different backgrounds present a practical and encouraging guide to combating global warming. Bloomberg began grappling with the realities of climate change as mayor of New York, then served as the U.N.'s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. As the former executive director and chairman of the Sierra Club, Pope has long been dedicated to environmental concerns. The two initially joined forces in a campaign to wean the U.S. from its reliance on coal, the most damaging source of climate pollution. Here, in alternating, equally eye-opening chapters, the unrepentant capitalist and the environmentalist quantify the consequences of burning fossil fuels, elucidate the benefits of clean energy, and explain why and how renewables are generating jobs and economic growth at ever-higher rates. Bloomberg and Pope frankly state that progress on climate change will advance not in Washington, but rather in cities and the business world because mayors and CEOs know that a stable environment is essential for both public health and prosperity. Upbeat, pragmatic, eloquent, and supremely well-informed, Bloomberg and Pope present striking statistics, cogently describe diverse examples of energy reforms and innovations across the U.S. and around the world, and make clear on both personal and social levels why a low-carbon future is possible, necessary, and of great benefit to everyone. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A robust print run and an extensive, multiplatform publicity campaign, including numerous author appearances, will generate avid interest in this timely treatise.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

July 31, 2017
Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, and Pope, his senior climate advisor and a former executive director of the Sierra Club, team up to discuss how cities from Mumbai to Miami can and should drive climate change innovations through collaborations with municipalities, NGOs, and businesses. The authors share their own conservation strategies and projects in alternating chapters. Bloomberg reads the preface, and some listeners, especially the New Yorkers, will immediately recognize his voice with its characteristic New York accent and slight lisp. Then news anchor Pellet, who is a reporter for Bloomberg Radio, steps in for the former mayor, reading chapters written by Bloomberg in a clear voice that avoids mimicry. Pope reads his own chapters; although he communicates his enthusiasm for the subject, his sections are more technical, and as a result harder to keep up with. He also doesn’t have radio experience like Pellet. The combination of narrators doesn’t feel like a match, as it would if both were authors or professional narrators. A St. Martin’s hardcover.