Rupert Read

Do you want to know the truth? The surprising rewards of climate honesty

"In this humble, sincere and quick-witted book, Rupert Read invites us to find courage, stop being afraid of fear, and trust people without infantilizing them. It's time to get serious about mass mobilisation as Rupert does with compassion, love, rage and authenticity." - Pablo Servigne & Raphael Stevens, authors of How everything can collapse and Another end of the world is possible. "This is a book for everyone - a deeply invitational book, not offering certainty but glimmerings of what we can hope may be possible. Whoever you may be, I hope you will read it and find it speaks to you." - Prof. Cora Diamond, author, The realistic spirit. As climate breakdown begins, the question each of us must ask is: Do I really want to know the truth? Am I willing to face it? In this book Rupert Read argues compellingly that truthfulness on climate has surprising rewards: we get to live authentically, win or lose; to be with each other rather than stuck in individualised silos of anxiety; and, most important of all, to turn the difficult emotions which climate-honesty generates into energy. In a series of provocative and stimulating chapters, Read shows how truth is a mighty power that can mobilise untold millions. Read tackles in particular 'the 1.5 delusion' - the belief that it's still practically possible for humanity to remain in the 'safe' space below 1.5 C of global over-heat. He suggests abandoning this fantasy makes visible the terrible injustice being perpetrated upon the global South and on our children, and that radical truth-telling will liberate us to transformatively adapt to our future on a changed planet. This book is for anyone and everyone who cares. "Don't read this book if you want to remain stuck in any kind of denial " - Chris Packham, BBC broadcaster.