Kim Stanley Robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson, a celebrated science fiction writer known for his Mars trilogy and the impactful 'Ministry for the Future,' discusses the parallels between his imaginative landscapes and current climate realities. He reflects on the optimism stemming from global cooperation and legislative progress. Robinson also critiques the overreach of tech moguls in politics, urging for a balance between innovation and collaborative solutions. He champions the UN's role and emphasizes the necessity of collective international action to combat climate change.

Kim Stanley Robinson, ein renommierter US-amerikanischer Science-Fiction-Autor, diskutiert über realistische utopische Zukunftsvisionen. Er erklärt, dass der Kampf um die Zukunft offen bleibt und menschliche Handlungsfähigkeit gegen Determinismus betont. Robinson spricht über Eco-Sozialismus und die Notwendigkeit von sozialen Kämpfen gegen Ungleichheit. Zudem kritisiert er romantisierte Zusammenbruchs‑Erzählungen und plädiert für positive, plausible Zukunftsentwürfe. Seine Perspektiven auf Klimafinanzen und politische Erzählungen bieten inspirierende Ansätze für nachhaltige Veränderungen.

In this engaging conversation, acclaimed author Kim Stanley Robinson shares insights from his groundbreaking work on climate fiction. He discusses the purpose behind the devastating opening of *The Ministry for the Future*, revealing its intent to inspire action from despair. Robinson introduces the concept of 'pre-traumatic syndrome,' urging the use of imaginative foresight to motivate preventive measures against climate catastrophe. He also emphasizes the importance of personal and societal projects, persistence in the face of challenge, and how storytelling shapes our collective future.

To tackle climate change, we need good stories and we need good storytellers. Kim Stanley Robinson is a climate fiction author who has written more than 20 novels, including Ministry for the Future, which was published in 2020. It opens in 2025, with a heatwave that kills millions in India. It’s a grim scene, and what follows is the story of humans striving to cope with an increasingly inhospitable planet — there’s ecoterrorism, high-finance, wild chases over the Swiss Alps. What emerges in Ministry is the a ‘optopian’ roadmap, in which the world gets to grips with the climate crisis and begins to rectify the situation. In the first of three episodes talking with climate storytellers on Zero, we hear from Robinson about how he crafts a good story out of a desperate situation, what he thinks the limits of climate storytelling are, and how his thinking has changed since publishing Ministry for the Future. Read more:  Kim Stanley Robinson’s columns for Bloomberg Green Zero: High hopes for biodiversity, but who will pay?  A transcript of this episode Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Oscar Boyd and our senior producer is Christine Driscoll. Special thanks to Kira Bindrim, Todd Woody and Abraiya Ruffin. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit bloomberg.com/green See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, Nate is joined by climate science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson to discuss how he contributes to the discussion of climate and pro-social changemaking through writing. There have been many calls to improve the communication of scientists to the general public in hopes it will help people understand the severity of the various global threats we face. A key component to such communication comes from art and literature. Even further, the humanities help us think about the type of future and culture we want to have given the information that science brings us. How can we incorporate fiction into our set of tools to bring more people into awareness of the pressing systemic dynamics underpinning global events? About Kim Stanley Robinson: Kim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer. He is the author of over twenty books, including the internationally bestselling Mars trilogy, and more recently Red Moon, New York 2140, and The Ministry for the Future. He was part of the U.S. National Science Foundation's Antarctic Artists and Writers' Program in 1995 and 2016, and a featured speaker at COP-26 in Glasgow, as a guest of the UK government and the UN. His work has been translated into 28 languages, and won awards including the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. In 2016 asteroid 72432 was named "Kimrobinson." To watch this video episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Xc53KPv7flk Show Notes & Links to Learn More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/66-kim-stanley-robinson

Kim Stanley Robinson, an acclaimed science fiction author celebrated for his Mars trilogy, joins the discussion to explore the intriguing overlap between science and science fiction. He emphasizes how fiction can help us simulate societal consequences and serve as a tool for ethical reflection, particularly regarding genetics and AI. The conversation highlights how his work informs real scientific ideas and frames climate issues, advocating for fiction as a serious means of thinking about our future. Additionally, there's a fascinating look at green sea turtles migrating to urban waters.

Kim Stanley Robinson, a renowned science-fiction author known for his climate-centric works like Ministry for the Future, shares his vision for a sustainable future. He argues against the notion of abundance, instead advocating for adequacy, equality, and communal projects to combat nihilism. Robinson discusses the role of economic insecurity in stalling climate action and emphasizes the importance of making low-carbon choices accessible. He also highlights the potential of science fiction to inspire change and imagines democratic energy systems for a fairer society.

Science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson, known for his Mars trilogy and 'The Ministry for the Future,' shares his vision of 2025 amidst the climate crisis. He examines the real-world implications of his narratives, contrasting them with current climate politics. Robinson discusses the potential of science fiction to inspire positive change and the importance of international cooperation, especially the role of the UN. He critiques nostalgic views and emphasizes the need for diverse solutions to tackle climate challenges while fostering a hopeful future.

Kim Stanley Robinson, an award-winning sci-fi author, delves into thought-provoking ideas about our future. He critiques 'preemptive capitulation' and argues that the future is still contestable. Robinson discusses concepts like 'futurecide' and the importance of human agency amidst demographic shifts and inequality. He advocates for eco-socialism, emphasizing practical conservation goals. He explores the impact of science fiction on contemporary realities and suggests that narratives of solidarity can inspire action for a better tomorrow.

Science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson joins the podcast to speculate about how we might evolve as a civilization. They discuss how he builds his science fiction worlds, the shifting pace of human acceleration, and how AI may change how humans organize themselves in the future.