Malcolm Harris’ latest book, What’s Left, presents a stark assessment of the climate crisis and a serious consideration of what political options have the potential to meaningfully reduce carbon emissions. While the Harris’ focused proposals—marketcraft, public ownership of utilities, and communism— are not options American leaders currently take seriously, Harris makes the case these alternatives will become all the more vital as climate catastrophes intensify. What’s Left reimagines what climate discourse could be if by identifying steps must be taken to decarbonize and working backwards to see how these solutions may come about. In face of serious climate proposals continuing to be discarded. salvaging What’s Left of our environment is the guiding force trying to motivate action along whatever method will achieve these aims.

In the months after it’s been written, What’s Left has already seemed prescient in foreseeing the failure of mainstream climate politics. The Biden administration’s paradox of increasing and oil production alongside green investments and ESG disclosures has been quickly undone by the Trump administration as if the Democratic Party has been in any way restrictive to fossil fuels. California, despite facing more frequent wildfires, has responded by reducing environmental building standards in the disaster zones too dangerous even for insurers. Against these contradictions and failures, a realpolitik approach to achieving sustainability goals is refreshing...

I have ready many books for over a decade about the very real, urgent crisis of global change and have mixed feelings after reading this book. The book is divided up in chapters dealing with clinate change from the socialist, progressive and revolutionary POVs and further building on what solutions could be from those perspectives. It is the author's POV that all three of those strategies have to come together for action to happen. Whoever is in charge of these decisions for the future of the planet, there defintely needs to be compromise! This part of the book works well.

However, there is a lot of assumption from the author about global change being reduced if these strategies work together at some point. I also feel that I did not learn much new information to what I have already read over the years about this catatrophic issue. From POV, I hope I am long past deceased before the planet gets bad, but it is already happening.

Recommended for those wanting to know more about global climate change.

Thanks to Netgalley, Malcolm Harris, Little Brown & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 4/15/25