What will I learn about: the critical timeline for climate action, which requires humanity to reduce global emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050?

Understand the critical timeline for climate action, which requires humanity to reduce global emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050.

What will I learn about: the dire consequences of climate inaction, including a deeply unlivable 2050 plagued by deadly 140-degree Fahrenheit heatwaves, unbreathable air, and irreversible environmental tipping points?

Discover the dire consequences of climate inaction, including a deeply unlivable 2050 plagued by deadly 140-degree Fahrenheit heatwaves, unbreathable air, and irreversible environmental tipping points.

What will I learn about: Explore the profound lifestyle and infrastructure shifts needed to build a sustainable future, from entirely abandoning fossil fuels to adopting community-based food networks and plant-based diets?

Explore the profound lifestyle and infrastructure shifts needed to build a sustainable future, from entirely abandoning fossil fuels to adopting community-based food networks and plant-based diets.

What will I learn about: Learn why cultivating an optimistic mindset is essential to solving the climate crisis, and how giving in to pessimism is both based on false assumptions and completely irresponsible?

Learn why cultivating an optimistic mindset is essential to solving the climate crisis, and how giving in to pessimism is both based on false assumptions and completely irresponsible.

What will I learn about: Recognize the importance of celebrating existing climate victories, such as Costa Rica's shift to 100 percent clean energy, to inspire ongoing individual and collective action?

Recognize the importance of celebrating existing climate victories, such as Costa Rica's shift to 100 percent clean energy, to inspire ongoing individual and collective action.

The Future We Choose

Surviving the Climate Crisis

Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac

★ 4.1 / 5(221 ratings)

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Categories:

Politics Nature & the Environment

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡What if you could peek into two drastically different versions of the year 2050 to see exactly how our daily lives will change based on the choices we make today?
💡Have you ever wondered how adopting a specific type of “stubborn optimism” could be more effective at fighting climate change than any technological breakthrough?
💡Are you curious about the three essential mindsets and ten concrete actions that can transform a global environmental crisis into a future where humanity truly prospers?

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Key Takeaways from The Future We Choose

✓Understand the critical timeline for climate action, which requires humanity to reduce global emissions by at least 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050.
✓Discover the dire consequences of climate inaction, including a deeply unlivable 2050 plagued by deadly 140-degree Fahrenheit heatwaves, unbreathable air, and irreversible environmental tipping points.
✓Explore the profound lifestyle and infrastructure shifts needed to build a sustainable future, from entirely abandoning fossil fuels to adopting community-based food networks and plant-based diets.
✓Learn why cultivating an optimistic mindset is essential to solving the climate crisis, and how giving in to pessimism is both based on false assumptions and completely irresponsible.
✓Recognize the importance of celebrating existing climate victories, such as Costa Rica's shift to 100 percent clean energy, to inspire ongoing individual and collective action.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The Future We Choose

Mind Map

The Future We Choose

The Urgent Choice+

Essential Mindsets+

Required Actions+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10

What are the critical global emission reduction targets outlined for 2030 and 2050?

A. Reduce emissions by 25 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050
B. Reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050
C. Reach net-zero by 2030 and eliminate all fossil fuels by 2050
D. Reduce emissions by 75 percent by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050

Question 2 of 10

According to the authors, what specific mindset is absolutely essential to successfully solve the climate crisis?

A. Stubborn optimism
B. Cautious pragmatism
C. Defensive pessimism
D. Technological utopianism

Question 3 of 10

What does the example of Tucson, Arizona's water supply illustrate about human behavior and resources?

A. Climate change has permanently destroyed local water tables, making adaptation impossible.
B. Technological interventions like desalination are the only effective way to survive scarcity.
C. A zero-sum mindset creates perceived scarcity, leading people to frantically over-extract resources.
D. Local governments are inherently better at managing resources than federal agencies.

Question 4 of 10

What is recommended as the first step toward adopting a 'regenerative' mindset?

A. Planting native trees in deforested areas
B. Replenishing and nourishing yourself, such as through meditation
C. Boycotting corporations with high carbon footprints
D. Donating to international wildlife conservation funds

Question 5 of 10

Which powerful emotional force do the authors identify as a major obstacle that prevents society from letting go of old habits and embracing a sustainable future?

A. Apathy
B. Anger
C. Nostalgia
D. Greed

Question 6 of 10

How can Artificial Intelligence specifically aid the transition to renewable energy, according to the text?

A. By automatically shutting down heavily polluting factories during peak hours
B. By managing smart grids to balance energy storage and flow regardless of weather conditions
C. By predicting the exact dates of future extreme weather events to evacuate coastal cities
D. By replacing human workers in the dangerous offshore wind energy sector

Question 7 of 10

Which industry is highlighted as having an enormous carbon footprint, second only to the oil industry?

A. The technology and server industry
B. The global fashion industry
C. The automotive and transportation industry
D. The industrial agriculture industry

Question 8 of 10

Based on historical data mentioned in the text, what percentage of a population needs to join a non-violent protest to successfully inspire political change?

A. 1.5 percent
B. 3.5 percent
C. 10 percent
D. 25 percent

Question 9 of 10

Why do the authors suggest voting for women leaders as a strategy to fight climate change?

A. Evidence shows women legislators vote for climate action almost twice as often as men.
B. Women are historically less influenced by corporate lobbying than men.
C. Female leaders are more likely to invest in untested technological solutions.
D. Women are generally more pessimistic about the future, leading to stricter environmental laws.

Question 10 of 10

What specific, actionable advice is given to individuals wanting to slowly transition to a more climate-friendly lifestyle?

A. Stop flying entirely and rely only on high-speed trains
B. Sell their gasoline car and buy an electric vehicle within the next year
C. Adopt a more plant-based diet by starting with one meat-free day a week
D. Move to an off-grid community to reduce reliance on fossil fuels

The Future We Choose — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Unless we act now, we’re headed toward an unlivable world.
3We can build a sustainable future, but it will require major changes in how we do almost everything.
4To solve the climate crisis, we must truly believe it’s a problem we can fix.
5By adopting a mindset of abundance and collaboration, we can see there is often enough for everyone.
6It’s not too late to restore the world’s natural resources, but we must embrace a regenerative way of life.
7To create a livable world, we must take bold steps forward and leave the past behind.
8Technology can be a major benefit — perhaps even essential to ending the climate crisis — but we must use it responsibly.
9It’s time to rethink your consumption patterns.
10We must seek the truth to fight climate change through political action.
11Final summary

The Future We Choose Summary & Overview

The Future We Choose (2020) presents us with two potential visions of life on earth: one of sweltering heat, diminishing biodiversity, and severely declining quality of life, and one where the planet’s temperature has stabilized, life flourishes, and humanity prospers. The world we choose will depend on the actions we take now, in what is a critical decade in the fight against climate change. While the prospect may seem daunting, it’s time to rise to the challenge and determine our future.

Who Should Listen to The Future We Choose?

Climate crusaders feeling hopeless about their cause
Anyone who wants to know how they can contribute to a sustainable world
Those worried about the future

About the Author: Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac

Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican diplomat who has chaired multiple international organizations and served as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010 to 2016. During that period, she led six annual global climate negotiations that eventually resulted in the historic 2015 Paris Agreement.

Tom Rivett-Carnac is a British political lobbyist and former Buddhist monk who joined co-author Christiana Figureres as her chief political strategist during negotiations for the 2015 Paris Agreement. Formerly, he was president and CEO of the Carbon Disclosure Project USA, a not-for-profit charity.

The Future We Choose

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to The Future We Choose — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from The Future We Choose

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

The Future We Choose — Full Chapter Overview

The Future We Choose Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to The Future We Choose?

About the Author: Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac

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