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Slow Burn

The Hidden Costs of a Warming World
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Language: English
Published/Copyright: 2024

About this book

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.

Author / Editor information

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.

Reviews

"Superbly written, thoroughly researched, and thoughtful. . . . [Slow Burn] is one of the best books on climate policy." --- "Enough to make readers break out in a sweat." --- "[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." --- "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." --- "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 --- "Winner of the Axiom Bronze Medal in Philanthropy, Nonprofit, and Sustainability" --- "A Behavioral Scientist Notable Book of the Year" --- "Longlisted for the Porchlight Business Book Awards, Big Ideas & New Perspectives" --- "A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year" --- "Shortlisted for the Business Impact Award, getAbsract Journal"

Topics

  • Publicly Available

    Frontmatter

    i
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  • Publicly Available

    Contents

    vii
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    Acknowledgments

    ix
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    Introduction

    1
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  • Part I
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    1 Thinking Fast and Slow about Climate Change

    25
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    2 Physical versus Human Capital

    34
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    3 Where There Is Smoke

    53
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  • Part II
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    Introduction

    65
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    4 Anecdotes, Data, and the Problem of Causality

    67
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    5 How Heat Hurts

    79
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    6 Temperature and the Wealth of Nations

    99
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    7 Peace and Peace of Mind in a Hotter World

    126
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  • Part III
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    Introduction

    149
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    8 Climate Change and Economic Opportunity

    153
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    9 Climate Inequality Close to Home

    177
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    10 The Hidden Determinants of Climate Vulnerability

    196
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  • Part IV
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    Introduction

    213
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    11 Never Too Late

    215
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    12 Beyond Silver Bullets

    241
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    Conclusion: The Rest of Creation

    277
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    Notes

    283
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    Index

    317
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    A NOTE ON THE TYPE

    326
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Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
April 9, 2024
eBook ISBN:
9780691221045
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
View content
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691221045
eBook ISBN: 9780691221045
Keywords for this book
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Audience(s) for this book
For an expert adult audience, including professional development and academic research
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