What it is
Written by Kate Aronoff, Alyssa Battistoni, Daniel Aldana Cohen, and Thea Riofrancos, this 2019 book presents a radical Green New Deal vision that goes beyond decarbonization to reimagine work, housing, transportation, and social life. The authors argue that climate policy must be inseparable from economic justice: a green transition that leaves inequality intact is neither politically achievable nor morally defensible. Concrete policy proposals cover public housing, free public transit, a jobs guarantee, and democratic energy planning.
Why we picked this
A Planet to Win makes the political case that moderate climate policy cannot succeed because it does not build a large enough coalition. By linking decarbonization to material improvements in people's lives (free transit, public housing, guaranteed employment), the authors argue that ambitious climate policy can generate the popular support needed for implementation. For solarpunk thinkers, this is the policy architecture beneath the aesthetic.
Key takeaways
- The book argues that 'green austerity' (asking people to sacrifice for the climate) is politically doomed, and that successful climate policy must visibly improve daily life.
- Specific proposals include free, frequent public transit, public green housing, and a federal jobs guarantee focused on care work and ecological restoration.
- The authors draw on examples from Vienna's social housing, Brazil's free transit campaigns, and Scandinavian energy cooperatives to show these ideas already work at scale.