Struggles over drinking water, new outbreaks of mass violence, ethnic cleansing, civil wars in the earth's poorest countries, endless flows of refugees: these are the new conflicts and forces shaping the world of the 21st century. They no longer hinge on ideological rivalries between great powers but rather on issues of class, religion and resources. The genocides of the last century have taught us how quickly social problems can spill over into radical and deadly solutions. Rich countries are already developing strategies to garner resources and keep 'climate refugees' at bay.In this major new book Harald Welzer shows how climate change and violence go hand in hand. Climate change has far-reaching consequences for the living conditions of peoples around the world: inhabitable spaces shrink, scarce resources become scarcer, injustices grow deeper, not only between North and South but also between generations, storing up material for new social tensions and giving rise to violent conflicts, civil wars and massive refugee flows. Climate change poses major new challenges in terms of security, responsibility and justice, but as Welzer makes disturbingly clear, very little is being done to confront them.
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"An absolutely essential read." Morning Star "An engaging and thought–provoking contribution to current conflict analysis." International Affairs "A thought–provoking if uncomfortable read." Irish Times "Should be considered mandatory reading for anyone with concerns over the impact of climate change upon their lives, their families, their communities, their country." Midwest Book Review "Should be considered mandatory reading for anyone with concerns over the impact of climate change upon their lives, their families, their communities, their country." Library Bookwatch "If you have pondered what climate change means for humanity, here’s a book for you ... A fascinating tome." A–Men Magazine "Welzer combines analytical insight with passionate conviction in calling on all of us to help stem the violence that flows from climate change." Martin Albrow, University of Wales "Rampant climate change will redraw the geopolitical map of the 21st century. This book asks the uncomfortable but important questions that we will face in the future." Robert Falkner, London School of Economics and Political Science
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Mike France
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
A thoroughly well founded, detailed research document detailing the consequences for the world of impending climate change.
Written by an academic it is not an easy read but then it is not intended to be in either style or content. Nevertheless I found it compelling and though at times I felt I did not want to learn more, I could not stop reading it. The subject matter and conclusions are logically presented and make uncomfortable, bleak and chilling reading. This book has changed the way that I will approach the future, confirming vague unformed notions that I already held. Few do that.
For me, it highlights the futility of individual actions. It demonstrates a clear, urgent need for concerted effort by all governments and a greater, more public understanding of what, unavoidably now, is going to happen to the world and its occupants in the not too distant future. Hence my title for the review.
Written by an academic it is not an easy read but then it is not intended to be in either style or content. Nevertheless I found it compelling and though at times I felt I did not want to learn more, I could not stop reading it. The subject matter and conclusions are logically presented and make uncomfortable, bleak and chilling reading. This book has changed the way that I will approach the future, confirming vague unformed notions that I already held. Few do that.
For me, it highlights the futility of individual actions. It demonstrates a clear, urgent need for concerted effort by all governments and a greater, more public understanding of what, unavoidably now, is going to happen to the world and its occupants in the not too distant future. Hence my title for the review.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By P. Stokes
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The future, as detailed here, is the dystopia so often detailed in fiction only this is reality. Don't read this expecting a happy ending, a get out clause that will make it all better - this is depressing truth in all it's horror.
Well written and researched this is both interesting and worrying.
Well written and researched this is both interesting and worrying.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The book describes how the fight for basic resources to live caused by climate change will create many future deaths and have a terrible cost in war. This maybe true and probably will happen but not as it did in the past. The author talks of the genocides of Empire in Africa. As he is a German author he picks the German example but he could have picked the British and the Boers, Zulus and Mau-Mau, the US and the Native Americans, the Belgians in the Congo. So the list goes on.
Welzer provides an excellent analysis of the impacts of climate change on society and the political landscape. This is a much more direct view of what Norbert Elias called our inertia to do something. This is a much more direct view than Giddens (who calls the inertia the Giddens paradox with his usual modesty). Like Giddens, Welzer identifies that climate change is something that spans generations and so those responsible will not be the ones who have to solve the crisis. This leads to problems of identifying solutions and actually acknowledging that there is a problem. Giddens is slow and ponderous here the threat is much more real and the immediacy. We will all lose and this is a wake-up call. Even the protected western world that can adapt will lose in terms of freedoms and sense of security. We are already losing freedoms because of the threat of terrorists and this will just be exacerbated.
The current climate crisis has made us return to the more negative side of human aspirations, we are becoming more insular and insecure - there are actions we can take and things we can do, we can be more generous and embracing as humans. If the world had statesmen then I would feel more positive but with the current state of world politics I do not see there is anyone with the ability or credibility to make anything happen and so we are sleep-walking into disaster, pretending it is not there.
It should be on the reading list for any course on sociology and politics of climate change as it provides probably the most realistic, if most depressing view of what the future holds.
Welzer provides an excellent analysis of the impacts of climate change on society and the political landscape. This is a much more direct view of what Norbert Elias called our inertia to do something. This is a much more direct view than Giddens (who calls the inertia the Giddens paradox with his usual modesty). Like Giddens, Welzer identifies that climate change is something that spans generations and so those responsible will not be the ones who have to solve the crisis. This leads to problems of identifying solutions and actually acknowledging that there is a problem. Giddens is slow and ponderous here the threat is much more real and the immediacy. We will all lose and this is a wake-up call. Even the protected western world that can adapt will lose in terms of freedoms and sense of security. We are already losing freedoms because of the threat of terrorists and this will just be exacerbated.
The current climate crisis has made us return to the more negative side of human aspirations, we are becoming more insular and insecure - there are actions we can take and things we can do, we can be more generous and embracing as humans. If the world had statesmen then I would feel more positive but with the current state of world politics I do not see there is anyone with the ability or credibility to make anything happen and so we are sleep-walking into disaster, pretending it is not there.
It should be on the reading list for any course on sociology and politics of climate change as it provides probably the most realistic, if most depressing view of what the future holds.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
We're all doomed
I always liked it when Frazer said that on Dad's Army, and the phrase sprang to mind as I started reading this book. Read more
Published 7 days ago by George Rodger
2.0 out of 5 stars
Poor arguments obscure a vitally important topic
Welzer is writing about an extremely timely and important topic; the implications of climate change for future world security, and specifically how and why people might resort to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Max
1.0 out of 5 stars
illogical and absurd.
Where do I start with this hilarious attempt to jump on the bandwagon ?
Its clear that had this book been titled "Resource wars" and made no attempt to claim weather is... Read more
Its clear that had this book been titled "Resource wars" and made no attempt to claim weather is... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Johan RF
4.0 out of 5 stars
A horror story
If you read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy straight after this gloomy tome you'd be forgiven for digging a big hole in the ground and hiding there for the rest of your life, such is... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Jr Lorrimer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not easy reading but definitely worthwhile.
This book isn't an easy read, partly due to it being an academic tome, but also because it's really rather worrying subject matter. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Flickering Ember
4.0 out of 5 stars
Level Headed and Thought Provoking
This is a very intelligent assessment of the climate change problem issue and a good solid analysis of where it is going to take us globally in the next couple of decades. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Zip Domingo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
This is a brilliant book that details the socio-economic forces that cause wars and the reasons why so many people have a vested interest in allowing them to continue. Read more
Published 9 months ago by M. Lawton
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well-researched but sometimes seemingly off-topic
The principle behind this book is that during the 21st century more and more wars will take place due to climate change, and this is already happening (eg. Darfur). Read more
Published 9 months ago by Darren Simons
4.0 out of 5 stars
Waterworld
This was a well written, and interesting book though it was somewhat worrying.
It is a translation of a work by an academic but it is easy to follow and understand. Read more
It is a translation of a work by an academic but it is easy to follow and understand. Read more
Published 10 months ago by The Emperor
4.0 out of 5 stars
A wake up call
I am halfway through this book. I would like to think some of the scenarios and theorums described in this book are outlandish. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Jackiesmackie
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