Curbing Catastrophe: Natural Hazards and Risk Reduction in the Modern World

Climate change is real. Man-made climate change is real. It might seem like just getting everyone to agree on those two facts is challenge enough, but when we’re talking about really tackling climate change, there are other issues at hand.

Thankfully, Timothy Dixon explores those issues in a realistic and cogent way in Curbing Catastrophe, an honest, insightful guide to the numerous obstacles humanity will be facing environmentally in the years to come. From earthquake and tsunami prep to the conversion away from fossil fuels, from media misrepresentation to short-sightedness in politics, Dixon examines monumental issues with the eye of a scientist and the pragmatism of a PR rep, explaining not only the problems but how to discuss the problems more effectively.

And, importantly, he focuses on a major point that many science-heavy texts miss: the fact that scientists are not always effective communicators. And when you’re talking about long-term trends and risks, a measured, learned tone may not get the job done.

It’s a wonderfully sobering read, one that is alarming and encouraging in equal measure. The threats in Curbing Catastrophe are real, but with books like this, we might finally be equipped to handle them.