An inconvenient apocalypse : environmental collapse, climate crisis, and the fate of humanity

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Confronting harsh ecological realities, this book explores the roots of social injustice and offers a path to "fewer and less." Since agriculture's inception, humans have depleted the planet's ecological capital, with varying impacts. The authors argue that understanding our present requires recognizing how geographic determinism has shaped the past and acknowledging human nature in future planning. They pose four critical questions: What is a sustainable population size? What should be the scale of our communities? Can we maintain our current energy-dependent infrastructure? How urgently must we act to avert greater catastrophes? Jackson and Jensen contend that our future will entail "fewer and less," with significantly fewer people consuming far less energy. They reinterpret theological concepts—such as the prophetic and apocalyptic—to propose a collective response to today's ecological crises. While the necessary down-powering will be challenging, it can foster a renewed appreciation for the living world and a more joyful engagement with creation. Written in accessible language yet intellectually rigorous, this book is suitable for general readers and valuable for students in environmental humanities and Anthropocene studies.