Episode description

David Wallace-Wells is no stranger to contemplating the most disruptive and devastating outcomes of the climate crisis. His pivotal 2019 book, The Uninhabitable Earth, and 2017 article of the same name detailed some of the worst disasters that awaited humanity if action on climate was further delayed. Still, in 2021, even he's surprised by what he's seeing unfold. Record floods, out of control wildfires, and sweltering heatwaves are all placing constant pressure on nations and delivering tragic outcomes around the globe. "We are already not prepared for the warming we have today," Wallace-Wells told us. 

In this wide-ranging conversation, Wallace-Wells talks about his new piece "How To Live In A Climate 'Permanent Emergency,'" how this year's unprecedented climate catastrophes should shape adaptation measures immediately, how his thinking has changed since the publishing of The Uninhabitable Earth, what he thought about the recent leaked IPCC report, and what he hopes global leaders will do to address climate change at the upcoming COP26 and beyond.

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Further Reading/Listening

Dr. Thomas Lovejoy on Avoiding Catastrophic Biodiversity Loss in the Amazon

Parts of the Amazon Go From Absorbing Carbon Dioxide to Emitting It

The DeSmog Team on the COVID-19 and Climate Denial Connection