Slow Burn - by R Jisung Park

Book Synopsis

How the subtle but significant consequences of a hotter planet have already begun--from lower test scores to higher crime rates--and how we might tackle them today

It's hard not to feel anxious about the problem of climate change, especially if we think of it as an impending planetary catastrophe. In Slow Burn, R. Jisung Park encourages us to view climate change through a different lens: one that focuses less on the possibility of mass climate extinction in a theoretical future, and more on the everyday implications of climate change here and now.

Drawing on a wealth of new data and cutting-edge economics, Park shows how climate change headlines often miss some of the most important costs. When wildfires blaze, what happens to people downwind of the smoke? When natural disasters destroy buildings and bridges, what happens to educational outcomes? Park explains how climate change operates as the silent accumulation of a thousand tiny conflagrations: imperceptibly elevated health risks spread across billions of people; pennies off the dollar of productivity; fewer opportunities for upward mobility.

By investigating how the physical phenomenon of climate change interacts with social and economic institutions, Park illustrates how climate change already affects everyone, and may act as an amplifier of inequality. Wealthier households and corporations may adapt quickly, but, without targeted interventions, less advantaged communities may not.

Viewing climate change as a slow and unequal burn comes with an important silver lining. It puts dollars and cents behind the case for aggressive emissions cuts and helps identify concrete steps that can be taken to better manage its adverse effects. We can begin to overcome our climate anxiety, Park shows us, when we begin to tackle these problems locally.

Review Quotes

"Winner of the Axiom Bronze Medal in Philanthropy, Nonprofit, and Sustainability"

"[A] deeply researched book. . . . With gripping prose, this book encourages policymakers to consider the many hazards associated with the unavoidable increases in global temperature that the world faces. This is a call to arms addressing one of the most critical issues of contemporary times."-- "Library Journal (Starred review)"

"A Behavioral Scientist Notable Book of the Year"

"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year"

"Enough to make readers break out in a sweat."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Excellent. . . . Professor Park argues persuasively that we have been so focused on apocalyptic scenarios that we haven't focused enough on the other consequences of climate change."---Nicholas Kristof, New York Times

"Longlisted for the Porchlight Business Book Awards, Big Ideas & New Perspectives"

"Park writes clearly and well, making a strong case for immediate action rather than waiting for the costs to compound--which, over the next couple decades, they are certain to do. A multifaceted look at the many externalities of a warming world."-- "Kirkus"

"Shortlisted for the Business Impact Award, getAbsract Journal"

"Superbly written, thoroughly researched, and thoughtful. . . . [Slow Burn] is one of the best books on climate policy."-- "Choice"

About the Author

R. Jisung Park is assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he holds appointments in the School of Social Policy and Practice and the Wharton School of Business. An environmental and labor economist, he has been investigating and writing about the economics of climate change for more than a decade. He has advised organizations that range from the World Bank to the New York City Departments of Education and Health.