What If We Get It Right?

A call to action to step away from climate hopelessness and toward a joyful future, offering real answers for the crucial question: What would it look like if we actually solved climate change?

Marine biologist Ayana Johnson knows that things look bleak. Reports on climate change and the environmental impact of modern life show a planet in crisis, seemingly in a freefall toward an unlivable future. In her research on coral reefs, Johnson has seen firsthand the rapid deterioration and outright destruction of our most precious resources. And yet, she still believes in a way forward, where we hold ourselves accountable, yes, but we still operate with innovation and hope.

In What If We Get It Right?, Johnson gives readers a vision of the new climate future we can create through community and creative problem-solving. She begins by explaining current climate projections and their potential repercussions, offering helpful terminology to discuss what is at stake. Johnson then explores the interconnectedness humans share with nature, from the food we eat to the habitats we live in. She highlights some of the progress we've made in sustainability, while acknowledging that electric cars and solar panels won't be enough. To truly effect change, Johnson argues, we need to go deeper than data, into the motivations that inspire us to act and the culture we need to cultivate both locally and globally.

What If We Get It Right? is Johnson's rousing call to action for us to step out of the shadow of hopelessness and into the light of a climate future that allows all people to thrive. Grounded in data, research, and interviews, enlivened with poetry and art throughout, Johnson's insights are informative but still accessible and inspiring, lifted by their true lodestar: imwagination. With grace and humanity, Johnson asks readers to envision climate success and discover the joy of shaping the unknown, together.