How a Climate Doomsayer Became an Unexpected Optimist

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The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

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4.7 • 8K Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

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Summary

More To The Story: Bill McKibben isn’t known for his rosy outlook on climate change. Back in 1989, the environmentalist wrote The End of Nature, which is considered the first mainstream book warning of global warming’s potential effects on the planet. His writing on climate change has been described as “dark realism.” But McKibben has recently let a little light shine through thanks to the dramatic growth of renewable energy, particularly solar power.

In his new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, McKibben argues that the planet is experiencing the fastest energy transition in history from fossil fuels to solar and wind—and that transition could be the start of something big. On this week’s More To The Story, McKibben sits down with host Al Letson to examine the rise of solar power, how China is leapfrogging the United States in renewable energy use, and the real reason the Trump administration is trying to kill solar and wind projects around the country.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	For a very long time, all my life, we've called this stuff alternative energy.
0:08.0	And it's sort of been there on the fringe, like maybe it's not real big boy energy the way that oil and gas is.
0:15.0	I think we've tended to think of it as the whole foods of energy. It's like nice, but it's pricey. It's the
0:24.7	Costco of energy now. Coming up on more to the story, environmentalist Bill McKibben on why the
0:30.6	answer to all our energy problems is literally right above us. Don't go anywhere.
0:40.8	Hey, this is Al, and I'm sure it is no surprise to you that President Trump doesn't like us
0:46.8	very much. He called the press the enemy of the people. Credential journalists have been
0:51.5	banned from press briefings just for asking tough questions.
0:55.4	Trump personally sued news networks demanding billions.
0:59.7	And now, at his urging, Congress has voted to gut all federal funding for public broadcasting.
1:06.1	And I think I know why. I think we all do.
1:08.1	It's because real journalism brings sunlight, scrutiny, accountability.
1:13.6	When power feels threatened, it lashes out. And that tells you just how vital independent reporting
1:19.6	is right now. Here it reveal, we don't answer to billionaires or politicians or special
1:25.7	interests. We only answer to you, our listeners,
1:29.1	but we can't do this alone.
1:31.3	Stand with us.
1:32.4	Support fearless independent journalism
1:34.6	that refuses to back down.
1:37.2	Donate today.
1:38.7	Just visit RevealNews.org slash fearless.
1:42.0	Again, that's revealnews.org slash fearless. Again, that's reveal news.org slash fearless. Thanks.
	...

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