I am pleased to announce the publication of my new book in July 2022 titled “Science for a Green New Deal, Connecting Climate, Economics, and Social Justice”.  This book has two main take-home points: First, I want to instill a sense of hope and chase away what seems like a growing sense of doom regarding climate change, wealth disparity, and social justice. The younger generations have a right to be gravely disappointed with an inadequate response to each of those issue. Although we are experiencing climate change now, the Gen-Z has a full lifetime to live under the burden of what our inaction will leave them. Nevertheless, we have more powerful science, technology, engineering, economics, and social science to understand and solve the problem than ever before. At the moment, we lack the political will to do what needs to be done. The recent Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in August 2022 is a good start, but still not enough. Fortunately, there is significant momentum for changes in attitudes, and with the young peoples’ help, I think we will see the transformational changes needed.

Second, the book connects the dots between the environment, the economy, and social justice. They can’t be siloed. We can’t solve one set of problems without solving the others, which makes it sound harder, but at the same time, the solutions are also mutually supportive. Reducing air pollution will help all kids, but especially kids growing up in low income communities where the pollution is worse due to proximity to busy roads and factories, which will, in turn, make those communities stronger and more prosperous and contributing to the country in many ways. Connecting these dots to show that a healthy environment will reap economic and justice rewards is what the much misunderstood Green New Deal is all about. 

The GND is not a far-left socialist agenda. Rather, it embraces a market-driven economy that follows rules of fair competition (as did Adam Smith), fair labor laws, environmental protection, and safe and inclusive workplaces. Most business want a level playing field with predictable rules, where they know how to make their products at a profit. In many ways it is like making sure that there are umpires and referees in baseball and football games so that each team has a fair chance to excel.

You can learn more about the book at the Johns Hopkins University Press website.