The Enigma of Climate Inaction: Why Are We Doing Nothing (or Almost Nothing) in the Face of Catastrophe?

The Enigma of Climate Inaction explores humanity’s perplexing passivity in the face of the looming climate crisis—despite our having known about it for decades, the fact that we brought it into existence, and the existential threat it poses to our species.

Drawing on cutting-edge insights from cognitive science, anthropology, history, economy, finance, and philosophy, Samama argues that our success in accessing resources has bred an overconfidence in the systems that enable it. By uncovering...