📚 It’s time for a reality check on climate change and modern civilization. In Howthe World Really Works, Vaclav Smil gives readers a blunt, no-nonsense overview of the forces that shape our world. Smil, a scientist and energy expert, goes into the systems that sustain modern civilization, focusing on topics like energy, food production, and climate change. The book is packed with eye-opening facts, and challenges both optimistic and pessimistic views of how we should tackle the future.

The world is built on fossil fuels. Smil argues that transitioning away from fossil fuels quickly is unrealistic due to their essential role in energy, transportation, and food production, as well as in creating materials like plastic, steel, and cement. He emphasizes that alternatives for mass production are not viable in the near future and stresses the importance of facing these challenges with a clear, realistic view.

The book also touches on globalization and risk perception, before concluding with Smil’s criticism of both extreme optimism about technology as well as apocalyptic climate predictions, advocating for a balanced, practical approach to addressing these issues.

The tone is straightforward and frankly sometimes grumpy, which might not be for everyone, but his arguments are grounded in fact. He pulls no punches when addressing the challenges of climate change and the slow, difficult road ahead. Though the book occasionally drifts into tangents, it provides a clear-eyed, fact-based look at the realities of our complex world and the hurdles we face in addressing climate change.

WHERE TO FIND IT- How the World Really Works is currently sold out at Diwan, but is available on Amazon Egypt, and as an ebook on Amazon US.

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