Books

New book coming soon

A Tale of Two Crises

”Alan Miller, a key player in efforts to protect both the climate and the ozone layer, skillfully brings together insider history of what actually transpired, fascinating perspectives from other leaders in these efforts, and sound practical guidance on how to move forward now — a substantial contribution to understanding our most serious challenge.”

Gus Speth—former Administrator, UN Development Programme and Dean, Yale School of the Environment, author of America the Possible, They Knew, and other books

The ozone layer is healing. The climate is not. The difference wasn't science—it was politics.

In 1987, the world confronted a growing hole in the ozone layer and agreed on decisive action. Governments cooperated, industry adapted, and the ozone layer is now on a path to recovery.
After more than four decades of summits, pledges, and protocols, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, and extreme weather events grow more frequent and intense. Same planet. Same scientific challenge. Radically different political outcomes.

Alan Miller was in the room for both.

Drawing on nearly fifty years at the center of international environmental policy-and interviews with more than twenty policymakers, scientists, negotiators, and advocates who helped shape these battles-Miller reveals where the paths diverged: scientific consensus versus manufactured doubt, industry cooperation versus obstruction, political resolve versus hesitation and obfuscation.

Along the way, he shows how a handful of individuals both heroes and villains can alter the course of history.
But this is not simply a story of failure. Miller identifies practical reasons for optimism and explores promising opportunities to accelerate climate action through food systems, insurance, finance, technology, and other emerging levers of change.

A Tale of Two Crises is a compelling insider's account of the environmental battle the world won and a clear-eyed guide to what it will take to win the one that still lies before us.

Alan’s most recent work is a book with Durwood Zaelke and Stephen O. Andersen, Cut Super Climate Pollutants Now!, published by Changemakers Books.

The authors describe the urgent need to reduce several climate pollutants including methane and HFCs (widely used as refrigerants) with short atmospheric lifetimes (unlike carbon dioxide). Slowing the rate of warming is critical to avoid feed backs and tipping points, irreversible and potentially catastrophic changes in climate. Because of their short atmospheric lifetimes, these super pollutants can be reduced much more quickly — a “climate sprint” — to complement the more widely understood “marathon”, the more gradual reduction in CO2 emissions from burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. This marathon will require several decades to slow the rate of warming as reducing CO2 will also cut sulfates, pollutants which fall out of the atmosphere relatively quickly but offset some warming. The authors outline the actions needed and describe how this can be accomplished with the necessary speed based on lessons from the successful Montreal Protocol, the international agreement to protect the ozone layer.