The most readable that I’ve found in several years of learning about climate change.
Alternative Economics
Prosperity Without Growth : Economics for a Finite Planet by Tim Jackson
The profit-based economy depends on growth — using more resources, making more stuff. Growth means burning more oil, and putting more CO2 in the sky. To stop the climate emergency, we have to stop growth. Most economists won’t even consider a no-growth economy. Tim Jackson dares to look at how we could have prosperity while reducing the use of fossil fuels. Written for non-economists — stays away from jargon.
Rethinking Money by Jacqui Dunne and Bernard Lietaer
Great explanation of how our interest-based money system drives the climate emergency. Explores a variety of community currencies as possible models for a money system that would stay within Earth’s ecological limits.
Overall Strategy
What Then Must We Do? Straight Talk about the next American Revolution by Gar Alperovitz
Alperovitz discards the idea that we can fix climate change with traditional politics. We have to construct a whole new system, based on “participatory democracy,” which we can learn at the grass-roots level in local decision-making and worker cooperatives. He shows a wide variety of democratic business and political forms that are already used by many Americans, that could be expanded into a whole economy truly run by “We, the people.”
Non-violence as a tool for action
Waging Non-violent Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential by Gene Sharp
Gene Sharp has made a lifelong study of non-violent action, and advised a number of nations as they successfully threw off colonial rule or dictatorships. He lays out the principles of non-violent action and the reasons why it works better than military struggles. A good collection of case studies, then worksheets for actually designing a non-violent campaign.
How We Win: A Guide to Nonviolent Direct Action Campaigning by George Lakey
A somewhat different approach from Gene Sharp’s; helpful to read the two together. Lakey’s experience is in the Civil Rights Movement and several democracy campaigns in Philadelphia — local rather than national scale. He makes it clear that success comes from a well-planned, long-term strategy.
Doing Democracy: The MAP Model for Organizing Social Movements by Bill Moyer
Moyer looks at different styles of social change and shows where each fits into an overall movement. Lays out the stages a movement goes through. There are stages when people get discouraged, followed by an important shift in the culture, and success. He makes clear that discouragement is not the same as failure. Some case studies show his program in action.
What you can do
Drawdown edited by Paul Hawken
A hundred projects already happening around the world, with full-page photos. Everything from hi-tech, to changes in agriculture, to social programs that reduce population pressure. Whatever your interest, there’s something here you could plug into.
A Parents Guide to Climate Revolution by Mary de Mocker
Cultural and political projects to do with young people. Lots of website links and good ideas.