As appeared on Ricochet,com and Ratburger,org

A Measured Look at Climate Alarmism: Apocalypse NeverEdit

| July 19, 2020


Michael Shellenberger is a dedicated environmentalist. He was a progressive political activist for years. He wants a cleaner, greener world. That is why he opposes the Green New Deal. Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All, by Michael Shellenberger explains his position.

Shellenberger opens the book by picking apart and demolishing the arguments of those who claim apocalyptic climate change, leading to the death of billions, lies in our near future. He shows predictions of billions of deaths cannot be supported from IPCC report results. He shows how alarmists deliberately distorted facts – sometimes even making false claims about the reports – to justify their predictions.

Shellenberger also shows following the recommendations of the alarmists will likely have results opposite those claimed. More deaths, especially among the world’s poor, and greater adverse environmental impacts will result.

The solution Shellenberger advocates is greater industrialization and increasing energy production density, especially through nuclear. Shellenberger shows how historically this has reduced pollution, increased prosperity, and bettered living standards among even the poorest in society. It also leads to reduced agricultural land use, allowing increased forestation.

Shellenberger demonstrates this through specific examples, not dry statistics. He introduces readers to poor individuals in Africa, South America, and Indonesia. He shows how they are harmed by 21st-century environmentalism and how they will be helped by industrialization and increased energy production. He also shows how this will benefit the environment.

Why the alarmism? Shellenberger explains that, too. Powerful financial interests fund the anti-nuclear, green-energy, and anti-growth agenda. There is a lot of money to be made through all of these initiatives. Shellenberger highlights religious aspects of environmental crusading, showing how for many of its advocates, environmental extremism displaces religion’s role.

The cost of the Green New Deal will be paid, as Shellenberg shows, by the world’s poorest people. It will likely leave the environment worse off and lead to greater species extinction than increased industrialization would cause, but the price will not be paid by those profiting from the Green New Deal or those obtaining emotional satisfaction through its advocacy.

Apocalypse Never is meticulously researched and carefully footnoted. Shellenberger invites readers to check his work for accuracy. He makes no appeals to authority. Rather he highlights relevant facts, and lets readers draw their own conclusions. Concerned about the potential environmental impact of climate change? Read Apocalypse Never. It effectively answers many of the concerns raised by climate alarmists.

“Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All,” by Michael Shellenberger, Harper, 2020, 432 pages, $29.99 (Hardcover)

This review was written by Mark Lardas who writes at Ricochet as Seawriter. Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, historian, and model-maker, lives in League City. His website is marklardas.com.

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