Greta Thunberg aims to drive change with ‘The Climate Book’

Category: Science/Environment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. indigenous / ɪnˈdɪdʒ ə nəs / (adj.) – originally belonging to or living in a particular region or country
    Example:

    The indigenous tribes of the country are fighting for their right to keep their land.


  2. activism / ˈæk təˌvɪz əm / (n.) – the act of raising awareness and taking action to achieve political or social change
    Example:

    A lot of students get involved in activism to fight for justice and equality.


  3. compelling / kəmˈpɛl ɪŋ / (adj.) – causing one to feel the strong need to do something
    Example:

    The resource speaker’s compelling speech moved some students to pursue medicine.


  4. spark / spɑrk / (v.) – to cause something, such as an activity, to start or happen
    Example:

    The actor’s rude actions sparked criticism from netizens.


  5. memoir / ˈmɛm wɑr / (n.) – a written narrative about someone or something that’s based on the writer’s personal knowledge or experience
    Example:

    The former soldier wrote a memoir about the war in honor of the people who died at that time.


Article

Read the text below.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has compiled a handbook for tackling the world’s interconnected environmental crises, with contributions from leading scientists and writers.


Penguin Random House announced Thursday that “The Climate Book” will be published in Britain in October.


It contains contributions from more than 100 academics, thinkers and campaigners, including novelists Margaret Atwood and Amitav Ghosh, climate scientist Saleemul Huq and World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.


The book aims to help readers connect the dots between threats to the climate, environment, sustainability and indigenous populations — among others — and is intended as a guide to understanding and activism.


Contributors including Kenyan environmentalist Wanjira Mathai, Brazilian indigenous activist Sonia Guajajara, French economist Thomas Piketty and Canadian journalist Naomi Klein offer “compelling stories of change, action and resilience,” the publisher said, alongside Thunberg’s own stories of “learning, demonstrating, and uncovering greenwashing around the world.”


“My hope is that this book might be some kind of go-to source for understanding these different, closely interconnected crises,” Thunberg said in a statement.


Chloe Currens, editor at Penguin Press, said it was “a unique book, alive with moral purpose, which aims to change the climate conversation forever.”


Thunberg began skipping classes once a week to protest climate change in 2018, when she was 15, sparking a series of school walkouts that grew into a global youth movement.


Now 19, the Swedish activist has already published a memoir, “Our House Is On Fire” and a collection of speeches, “No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference.”


“The Climate Book” will be published Oct. 27 in the U.K. by Allen Lane and in early 2023 in the U.S.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Do you think a book like The Climate Book can really lead its readers to activism? Why or why not? Discuss. 
  • Thunberg emphasized the importance of understanding how different crises are interconnected. What do you think will happen if people understand how global issues relate to one another (ex. more effective solutions, bigger actions)? Discuss. 

Discussion B

  • Greta Thunberg started skipping classes when she was 15 to protest climate change. Do you agree with her actions to skip school as a protest? Why or why not? Discuss. 
  • Thunberg’s actions sparked a global youth movement for climate change. Why do you think others followed Thunberg’s lead? Do you think it’s okay for children and teenagers to be involved in activism? Why or why not? Discuss.