The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet is a 2021 book about climate change written by Michael E. Mann, an American scientist who studies climate and Earth’s physical processes. In the book, Mann explains how the fossil fuel industry has worked to slow down efforts to address climate change. He also describes some climate responses he believes are not enough and others he thinks are most effective. The book was well-received by readers. In an interview with Jeff Goodell of Rolling Stone, Mann said that a "clean energy revolution and climate stabilization are possible with today’s technology. All that is needed is policies to encourage the changes required."

Background

Mann's well-known "hockey stick" graph caused people to send him death threats and attack him online. Later, he became an expert in studying how the fossil fuel industry spreads false information.

Goodell said that many people on the left now see carbon pricing as "a type of economic plan that benefits large financial institutions and will likely be influenced by politics." Mann wrote that "all the solutions we discuss are based on market economics," and he also mentioned the Montreal Protocol as an example of why carbon pricing could work in the past.

However, Mann also said that humans may need to reconsider the basic way modern economies work because "there is a larger discussion about whether we can keep increasing the use of natural resources in a way that is environmentally responsible." He added that the Green New Deal will not happen in 2021 or 2022: "We will move past the pandemic. In one or two years, it will be something we look back on, but we will still be dealing with an even bigger problem, the climate crisis. Hopefully, going through the pandemic will help us think about how to solve this larger problem."

Mann criticized the Trump administration but noted that "enough progress is happening at the state level, including states that support action, companies, cities, and local governments. We have made some progress, but we need to catch up on the progress that was lost over the next few years. The Biden administration is working hard to help make that happen."

Title

Mann explained that the book's title, The New Climate War, reflects his belief that there were two types of climate-related conflicts. The first, called the "old climate war," involved efforts by fossil fuel interests to attack the basic science of climate change. The second, the "new climate war," has emerged because the effects of climate change are now more obvious. In this new conflict, opponents of climate action use different strategies, such as causing disagreements among climate advocates to prevent a united effort, pushing for changes that focus on individual actions instead of large-scale solutions, and shifting attention away from policies that address the root causes of climate change. The old war was based on outright denial of climate science, while the new war involves using misleading information, creating distractions, and delaying progress.

Summary

The book The New Climate War has nine chapters, along with sections for acknowledgements, notes, and an index.

The first two chapters, "The Architects of Misinformation and Misdirection" and "The Climate Wars," explain the history of people who have denied or ignored the reality of climate change. The third chapter, "The 'Crying Indian' and the Birth of the Deflection Campaign," describes how groups like fossil fuel companies, right-wing political groups, media personalities, and governments that receive money from oil companies use strategies to shift blame away from themselves and avoid making changes to harmful policies.

In the chapter titled "It's YOUR Fault," the author explains how some groups try to focus public attention on individual choices, such as personal habits, rather than on the need for large-scale changes or holding corporations responsible. This chapter mentions how Russian-backed online accounts spread false information during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and how similar accounts increased doubt about climate change online. The author also states that Russian actions aimed at helping Donald Trump win the election may have been motivated by the Russian government’s desire to sell more fossil fuels globally.

The fifth chapter, "Put a Price on It. Or Not.," discusses how governments give financial support to the fossil fuel industry. The author suggests charging companies for carbon emissions and stopping harmful practices like fracking and building pipelines. In "Sinking the Competition," the author supports giving money to renewable energy projects and stopping financial support for fossil fuels.

In chapter seven, "The Non-Solution Solution," the author says that solutions like using natural gas, capturing carbon, or using large-scale engineering to fix climate problems are not effective. The author also calls ideas like "clean coal" or "adaptation" misleading.

In the chapter "The Truth Is Bad Enough," the author criticizes some environmentalists for overestimating the dangers of climate change. The final chapter, "Meeting the Challenge," includes a plan with four steps: ignoring people who spread fear, encouraging young people to lead, teaching others about climate issues, and making changes to the economic system to reduce harm to the environment.

The author believes that actions like eating less meat, traveling less, and recycling are helpful but not enough. The author says that the economy must be changed to reduce carbon emissions. The climate scientist also expresses cautious hope because of the efforts of young activists and the fast progress in green technology.

Reception

Jeff Masters, writing for Yale Climate Connections, noted that The New Climate War "could benefit from more graphics and cartoons to support its 267 pages of text. However, the book is still an important read for people who understand climate issues well and those who depend on climate stability. (Only people who live on Earth need apply!)" Richard Schiffman of New Scientist said, "With the major COP26 UN climate summit planned for later this year in Glasgow, UK, Mann’s message to take climate change seriously is very timely. It is hoped that Mann is correct that progress on this issue is finally beginning."

Adrienne Hollis wrote that the book "connects every action and every failure that has influenced efforts to protect Earth from the harmful effects of climate change. Mann is honest about times when those working for climate action have not met expectations." She described the book as "important not only for people already involved in addressing climate change but also for those new to the topic, who will learn about past challenges, struggles, and obstacles."

Carolyn Gramling, writing in Science News, stated that The New Climate War "focuses on fighting mental tactics used to influence people’s opinions about climate change. In this area, the book is interesting and often enjoyable. It combines references to historical events, sharp political opinions, and personal stories." A reviewer in Kirkus Reviews called it a "clear and direct work about climate politics. Mann clearly explains the misleading arguments about several policies and trends related to the climate crisis."

The book was nominated for the 2021 "business book of the year" by The Financial Times. It was also included in the 2021 Wainwright Prize longlist.