This Changes Everything

What does Klein mean by “extractivism,” and to what extent do you agree with her critical characterization of this approach to nature?

Why is Klein critical of the role some of the big green groups have played in the struggle against climate change and to what extent do you agree with her position?

Discuss Klein’s idea that climate change can be driven by a mass movement. You may want to consider: the role of Indigenous peoples and their treaty rights; the link with past social movements and struggles; and/or grassroots and decentralization.

We should leave the problem of global warming to technological geniuses, inventors, and entrepreneurs. Discuss. You may want to consider: the role of philanthropists and entrepreneurs in the green movement; the possibility of a large-scale tech fix; and/or the power of human invention to overcome obstacles.

Explain what Klein means by “Blockadia,” and assess its importance in the struggle against climate change and further fossil fuel extraction.

When looking for alternatives to extractivism, Klein borrows heavily from the thinking and traditions of Indigenous peoples. Discuss the role of Indigenous peoples and their culture in Klein’s analysis of climate change and her proposed solutions.

Klein is mistaken in thinking that climate change provides a practical and moral imperative to redistribute wealth. Discuss. You may wish to consider: the notion of climate debt; the role of the Global South in climate change; and/or the link between environmentalism and socialism.

“Resistance and an alternative are ‘the twin strands of the DNA of social change’” (205). Discuss either (a) the meaning of this statement, and how far you agree, with regard to climate change, or (b) the viability of the alternatives Klein proposes in This Changes Everything.