Climatic changes · Forecasting · Social aspects
The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres — Summary, Key Ideas & Quotes
2020224 pages✦ 3-min Big ideas
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What is The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis about?
The authors, Figueres and Rivett-Carnac--the architects of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement, outline two possible scenarios for the planet. In one, what life on Earth will be like by 2050 if we fail to meet the Paris targets for carbon dioxide emission reduction. In the other, what it will take to create and live in a carbon neutral, regenerative world. They argue for confronting the climate crisis head on, and present what governments, corporations, and every person can and must do to fend off disaster.
"In this cautionary but optimistic book, Figueres and Rivett-Carnac--the architects of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement--tackle arguably the most urgent and consequential challenge humankind has ever faced: the world's changing climate and the fate of humanity. In The Future We Choose, the authors outline two possible scenarios for the planet. In one, they describe what life on Earth will be like by 2050 if we fail to meet the Paris targets for carbon dioxide emission reduction. In the other, they describe what it will take to create and live in a carbon neutral, regenerative world. They argue for confronting the climate crisis head on, with determination and optimism. How we all of us address the climate crisis in the next thirty years will determine not only the world we will live in but also the world we will bequeath to our children and theirs. The Future We Choose presents our options and tells us, in no uncertain terms, what governments, corporations, and each of us can and must do to fend off disaster"--
A glimpse inside
Two Futures: A Stark Choice
Figueres and Rivett-Carnac frame the climate crisis as a crossroads, vividly contrasting two scenarios for 2050: one where humanity fails to curb emissions, resulting in a world of chaos, conflict, and loss; and another where bold action leads to a thriving, regenerative society. This dual vision personalizes the stakes and makes the consequences of inaction tangible, motivating readers to see climate change not as a distant threat, but as a defining choice for our generation.
Stubborn Optimism as a Strategy
A core message of the book is the necessity of 'stubborn optimism'—a deliberate, resilient mindset that refuses to surrender to despair. The authors argue that hope is not naïve, but essential for sustained action. By cultivating optimism, individuals and societies can overcome paralysis and cynicism, fueling the creativity and courage needed for transformation.
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Get smart in 3 min
6 key ideas, distilled
- 1Two Futures: A Stark Choice
- 2Stubborn Optimism as a Strategy
- 3Individual and Collective Agency
- 4Twelve Actions for a Regenerative World
- 5The Power of Mindset and Values
Popular quotes from The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
“Stubborn optimism is not about denying the realities we face; it is about facing them with determination.”
“The next decade is decisive.”
Frequently asked
The authors, Figueres and Rivett-Carnac--the architects of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement, outline two possible scenarios for the planet. In one, what life on Earth will be like by 2050 if we fail to meet the Paris targets for carbon dioxide emission reduction. In the other, what it will take to create and live in a carbon neutral, regenerative world. They argue for confronting the climat