New Books Network R. Jisung Park, "Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Oct 25, 2025
R. Jisung Park, an environmental and labor economist at the University of Pennsylvania, dives into the everyday impacts of climate change. He reveals how subtle effects like heat influence productivity, learning, and health, illustrating the silent threats lurking behind major disasters. Park discusses cognitive biases that cloud our perception of climate harms and emphasizes the urgency of recognizing how climate change amplifies inequality. With a blend of rich data and personal narrative, he advocates for pragmatic solutions and equitable adaptation strategies.
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Wildfire Smoke Sparked The Book
- During the pandemic Park and his wife in Los Angeles experienced record wildfires and pervasive smoke while stuck in apartments.
- That personal helplessness partly motivated him to write Slow Burn and study practical, local climate impacts.
Small Climate Shifts Stack Into Big Harms
- Moderate increases in hot days (high 20s–low 30s °C) add up and reduce productivity, health, and learning.
- Wildfire smoke downwind can cause far more mortality cumulatively than flames themselves.
Add A 'Slow Burn' Mental Heuristic
- People use fast, emotional heuristics that favor dramatic climate narratives over statistical nuance.
- Park urges adding a 'slow burn' heuristic to judge incremental harms and policy trade-offs.
