Waiting for a green industrial revolution

An optimistic view of climate capitalism’s potential to steer market forces under environmental stewardship

THERE ARE SO many volumes being written on climate change that one often wonders whether the number of trees being felled to churn out the paper for these tomes is a contradiction in itself. And while Hachette doesn't reassure me that Akshat Rathi's Climate Capitalism: Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions is printed on recycled paper, the book itself is worth picking up, reading, and returning to. What the publishers have done, however, is deploy a clever design element for its cover-or perhaps it's the author's sister, Surabhi, who he acknowledges "for help with the cover". Either way, a 13-digit number indicates the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere as of October 2023; and that's a frightening 50% more than pre-industrial levels. One may even question how they measured it back then but there's no question about the author's untiring efforts to track down and document individuals-"unlikely heroes" who are playing a key role in combating climate change.

In an almost contrarian way, Rathi's work sparks a discussion on the possibility of leveraging capitalism to address the climate crisis. His optimistic outlook and provocative ideas present a nuanced perspective, acknowledging both promise and challenges we face.