Climate Change, Social Inequality, and Doom

William M. Epstein

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781421452319
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Public Health, Administration & Care
• Index: Biological Sciences

A critical examination of how inequality and cultural inertia hinder meaningful climate action.

The challenges of climate change, like so many issues today, are not evenly distributed across social and economic lines. In this sobering exploration of the interconnected crises of climate change and social inequality, William M. Epstein examines how entrenched cultural values and systemic inequities thwart meaningful climate action, driving humanity closer to catastrophic consequences.

Epstein outlines three potential climate futures—ranging from manageable to devastating—and scrutinizes society's inability to confront these realities with meaningful action. He argues that solutions exist, but they demand sacrifices and transformations that clash with deeply rooted societal norms. Epstein highlights the global indifference to equality and environmental stewardship and exposes the tragic inertia that imperils democracy, the environment, and humanity itself. By examining the broader implications of inequality—ranging from resource distribution to policy inertia—he reveals how societal values shape environmental outcomes and the growing divide between those who bear the brunt of climate change and those who remain insulated.

Offering a sharp critique of romanticized individualism and its role in undermining collective action, this provocative book challenges readers to rethink society's capacity and willingness to confront existential and environmental threats. A profound and timely work, Climate Change, Social Inequality, and Doom confronts the moral and political failures that define the climate crisis and reveals the stark choice between an equitable, sustainable future and irreversible decline.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Prologue
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Part I: Climate Change
• Part II: Social Policy and Climate Change
• Part III: A Tit for Tat Ending
• Notes
• References
• Index