Christiana Figueres Books
Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican diplomat and former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Known for: The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
Books by Christiana Figueres
The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
The Future We Choose is both a warning and an invitation. Written by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, two of the key figures behind the 2015 Paris Agreement, the book asks readers to confront a defining question: what kind of world are we creating through our response, or failure to respond, to climate change? Rather than treating the climate crisis as a distant scientific issue, the authors present it as a deeply human challenge that will shape food systems, migration, public health, politics, economics, and daily life. They describe two possible futures: one marked by escalating disruption and inequality, and another built on regeneration, resilience, and collective action. What makes the book especially compelling is its combination of global perspective and practical guidance. Figueres and Rivett-Carnac argue that hope is not passive optimism but a discipline rooted in action, courage, and responsibility. Grounded in diplomacy, activism, and decades of climate work, this book matters because it helps readers move from paralysis to participation at a moment when the stakes could not be higher.
Read SummaryKey Insights from Christiana Figueres
Two futures are still possible
The most important insight in this book is unsettling but empowering: the future has not been decided yet. Climate change is already underway, but the scale of damage humanity experiences will depend on the choices made now by governments, businesses, communities, and individuals. Figueres and Rivet...
From The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
Inaction leads to a brutal dystopia
One of the book’s boldest moves is refusing to soften the consequences of delay. The authors ask readers to imagine 2050 in a world where meaningful climate action never happened. This is not science fiction for shock value. It is an extrapolation of trends already visible today: worsening heatwaves...
From The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
A regenerative future can be built
Hope becomes credible when it is specific. After describing the consequences of failure, Figueres and Rivett-Carnac offer a second vision: a regenerative future in which humanity chooses cooperation, innovation, and restoration over extraction and denial. This future is not utopian perfection. Clima...
From The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
Mindset shapes our climate response
Before societies change their systems, they often need to change the stories they tell themselves. A central argument of the book is that the climate crisis is not only technological or political; it is also psychological and cultural. People avoid climate action not just because solutions are unava...
From The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
Ten actions turn hope into practice
The book stands out because it does not leave readers with emotion alone. After diagnosing the crisis and describing two possible futures, the authors offer a framework of personal and collective actions designed to make climate engagement tangible. Their message is clear: no single act is sufficien...
From The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
System change matters more than guilt
A useful climate conversation begins when we stop confusing personal virtue with structural transformation. Figueres and Rivett-Carnac recognize that individual responsibility matters, but they place it within a bigger frame: the climate crisis is driven by energy systems, industrial design, infrast...
From The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
About Christiana Figueres
Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican diplomat and former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Frequently Asked Questions
Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican diplomat and former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Read Christiana Figueres's books in 15 minutes
Get AI-powered summaries with key insights from 1 book by Christiana Figueres.