Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Climate Is Changing, Can Humans? by David L. Hawk is a groundbreaking, comprehensive, and urgent exploration of the profound threats posed by climate change, rooted in human behaviors, cultural myths, and systemic management failures. Hawk traces the origins of the planetary crisis back to the Industrial Revolution and the pursuit of technological and economic dominance, which disregarded natural laws such as the law of entropy. He argues that humanity’s obsession with short-term gains and a lack of change—mistakenly believed to oppose natural change—has led to irreversible environmental deterioration, crossing critical tipping points. The author advocates for a radical shift from traditional analytic management to systemic, holistic approaches that embrace natural processes and feminine values of nurturing and care. The core message is that unless humans radically alter their attitudes, values, and systems—moving beyond ego-centric, hierarchical, and artificial constructs—the future of Earth will remain bleak, possibly leading to the extinction of life.

David L. Hawk captivated me with his well-researched and cleverly presented analysis of the root causes of climate change, as well as his unique exploration of the human behaviors and beliefs that underpin the actions harming the environment. The book explores a range of interconnected topics, from myths surrounding industrial progress to the role of gendered values in environmental degradation to the limitations of classical management paradigms. He stresses that the constant battle for efficiency, size, and short-term profit has created a turbulent, chaotic environment. The book highlights the escalating urgency, with scientific evidence indicating that many planetary tipping points have already been crossed, potentially resulting in a sixth mass extinction. The Climate Is Changing, Can Humans? is a warning to humanity, demanding radical change and shifts in behavior if we are to stand a chance of securing our future. This call to action inspires deep reflection, systemic reorganization, and a shift toward nurturing, feminine-inspired values—an imperative if life is to continue on this fragile, interconnected planet. This book asks readers to be stewards of Earth and does so in a voice that is unequivocally clear and insistent.