An Inconvenient Apocalypse: Environmental Collapse, Climate Crisis, and the Fate of Humanity

An Inconvenient Apocalypse argues that humanity's future will be defined by contraction rather than expansion and that we must reconsider the origins of the consumption crisis and the challenges we face in creating a survivable future. Jackson and Jensen examine how geographic determinism shaped our past and led to social injustice, consumerist culture, and high-energy/high-technology dystopias, and suggest a secular reading of theological concepts to chart a collective, realistic path for humanity to survive and emerge with a renewed appreciation of the larger living world.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2022
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Press

Confronting the harsh ecological realities and the myriad cascading crises that plague our world today, An Inconvenient Apocalypse presents a compelling argument that humanity's future will be shaped not by expansion but by contraction. For decades, our global community has acknowledged the impending apocalypse, yet the implemented solutions have primarily consisted of small, feel-good initiatives that evade the uncomfortable truths about the root causes of our impending disaster. Wes Jackson and Robert Jensen argue that we must reevaluate the origins of the consumption crisis and the challenges we face in creating a survivable future. Long-held assumptions about economic growth and technological progress, the dream of a future of endless abundance, have become untenable. The climate crisis has already progressed beyond simple or non-disruptive solutions, leading to an apocalyptic outcome. The only question remaining is the extent of its severity.

Jackson and Jensen delve into how geographic determinism has shaped our past and contributed to the current social injustice, consumerist culture, and high-energy/high-technology dystopias. The solution necessitates addressing the systemic failures of our time and confronting human nature by acknowledging the limitations of our ability to predict the consequences of those failures over time. Despite the overwhelming nature of these challenges, Jackson and Jensen employ a secular reading of theological concepts, including the prophetic, apocalyptic, saving remnant, and grace, to chart a collective and realistic path for humanity to survive the apocalypse and emerge on the other side with a renewed appreciation for the larger living world.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780268203665