The Planet Doesn't Give a Damn

Advancing climate action in an age of pushback and skepticism
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-40716-4
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 230 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

The Planet Doesn’t Give a Damn is a call for strategic realism. We are standing at a historic turning point. Economic stagnation, geopolitical instability, and growing public skepticism about climate policy reinforce one another, creating a dangerous cycle of hesitation and vulnerability. The book demonstrates that, approached strategically, climate action is a way to tackle these challenges hand in hand: modernizing our economy, strengthening our security, and restoring confidence in Europe’s climate future.

The book offers more than a description of climate change or policy analysis. It shares the reflections behind major decisions, dilemmas that rarely make it into official statements, and encounters with remarkable individuals, businesses, and institutions already shaping a cleaner, more competitive Europe. It is both an insider’s account and a testament to the people proving progress is possible. In an accessible style, it explains how climate change works, why change can feel uncomfortable from a psychological and geopolitical perspective, why the transition to clean energy is vital, and how Europe can set the standard for future industries. Using everyday examples and personal stories, Wopke Hoekstra translates complex technical and geopolitical issues into relatable content anyone can understand.

Zielgruppe

General and Professional Practice & Development

Autoren/Hrsg.

Hoekstra, Wopke

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Bereichsspezifisches Management Management: Führung & Motivation
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Umweltökonomie
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Internationale Wirtschaft Entwicklungsökonomie & Emerging Markets
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Nachhaltigkeit
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Volkswirtschaftslehre Allgemein Makroökonomie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

I. Worse Than You Think, 1. A Problem from Hell, 2. A Problem Not Alone, 3. Doing the Numbers, 4. Check Please, 5. Fixing It While Arriving Late at the Party, 6. The Issue with Issue Ownership, II. A Complicated Geopolitical Chessboard, 7. Prisoners and Free Riders, 8. Far from Monkey-Proof, 9. We have a China Problem, 10. The Leader Has Checked Out, 11. The Complicated Thing Called COP, III. Drafting the New Blueprint, 12. Europe’s Conundrum, 13. Justified Optimism, 14. Moving forward, 15. Articulating the True North, 16. Meeting Up with Pareto, 17. Sandbags and River Dikes, 18. Making the Polluter Pay, IV. Gearing Up Our Competitiveness, 19. It’s the Economy, Stupid, 20. The Power of a Price, 21. Made in Europe, 22. Schumpeter à l'Européenne, 23. Simplifying to the Max, V. Grids, Atoms, and Scarcity: the Electron Revolution, 24. An Electricity Marshall Plan for Europe, 25. It’s Hard to Shine When You Stand Next to the Sun, 26. The Radiant Perspective: Embracing Nuclear, 27. Becoming the World Champion in Circularity, 28. The Myth of Mutual Dependence; Seizing the Moment, 29. Generals to the Rescue, VI. Moving In on the 94%, 30. Switching Gears Internationally, 31. No-strings Charity No More, 32. Creating a Green Zone, Epilogue: Choosing to Deliver

Über Autor(innen)

Wopke Hoekstra (1975) is the EU Commissioner for Climate Action, Clean Growth & Taxation. Before entering into politics, he was a partner at McKinsey, after which he served as the Dutch finance, foreign, and deputy prime minister.