Abstract
In Overshoot: How the World Surrendered to Climate Breakdown, Andreas Malm and Wim Carton offer an ideologically grounded critique of the economic and political systems that have led the world into climate crisis. Central to the book is their deconstruction of the term “overshoot”—the now mainstream notion that exceeding the 1.5°C global warming threshold is acceptable, as long as we eventually reverse exceeding this with technologies—yet to be fully proven as functional—such as geoengineering or carbon capture. Malm and Carton argue that overshoot ideology justifies delay in mitigation and continues to allow the fossil-fueled global economy to remain unchallenged, under the illusion that the damage can later be undone. They suggest this logic stems from the deep entanglement between climate policy and capitalist growth. The global economy, especially in the West, relies on sustained, efficient growth, which directly correlates with energy output, measured by productivity. The authors expose how this form of growth remains inseparable from fossil fuel consumption. To maintain the current system, political and economic leaders promote speculative solutions such as carbon capture, storage, and sequestration that delay current mitigation, betting on future technological breakthroughs. Instead of being used as a backup strategy, they have become central pillars of what the response to climate change will look like. Ultimately, it allows society to continue reaping the benefits of fossil capitalism while deferring accountability for the consequences. This protects economic returns in the short term but comes at a near-certain cost to environmental stability.
One of Malm and Carton’s most urgent claims is that the climate crisis cannot be meaningfully addressed so long as the economy continues to generate sufficient returns for those in power. This point is underscored by the concept of stranded assets: investments in fossil fuel infrastructure that would become worthless if a serious transition to clean energy occurred. Banks, oil companies, and entire industrial sectors are financially dependent on the continuation of fossil fuel use. As a result, many governments are not just slow to act—they are also structurally incentivized to resist decarbonization in order to preserve these assets. In doing so, climate policy is shaped by the preservation of capital rather than the urgency of the crisis.
In Overshoot, Malm and Carton also challenge the narratives promoted by global institutions. The discussion serves as a direct counterpoint to mainstream climate discourse, including that of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which increasingly incorporates overshoot pathways and negative emissions technologies (often modeled through integrated assessment models). While these models may suggest technical pathways to recovery, Malm and Carton argue that they shift the burden of action to future generations, enabling continued inaction in the present. Technologies such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) remain unproven at the scale required and raise serious ethical concerns, including potential disruptions to land use, food security, and global climate systems.
A particularly powerful section of the book examines how overshoot disproportionately affects marginalized communities. Wealthy individuals and nations, the authors point out, are better equipped to insulate themselves from climate impacts and therefore feel less urgency to act. Meanwhile, those most vulnerable to sea-level rise, food insecurity, and extreme weather, usually located in the Global South, bear the greatest burden yet contribute the least to the problem. The book also critiques the prioritization of national security over environmental protection, emphasizing how political stability and economic comfort are routinely valued above long-term sustainability.
Although Overshoot’s critique is compelling, its abstract and high-level analysis may be less accessible to general readers without a background in climate policy or political economy. The over 120 pages of detailed notes and citations can act as a resource for those seeking further context and sources; even still, the volume may overwhelm those unfamiliar with the field. Moreover, while the authors effectively identify various problems, a vision for radical change lacks a clear road map. The call for systemic transformation is powerful, though it leaves it to the reader to answer the questions of how, if, and when such a transformation could occur and be achieved (practically). Methodologically, Overshoot does not present original datasets or fieldwork. Instead, it synthesizes a range of climate science, economic data, and political theory to advance its argument. The authors analyze emissions trends, investment patterns, and global policy frameworks through a lens that critiques fossil capitalism. Their approach highlights the contradictions embedded in our energy and economic systems—systems that demand constant growth while relying on energy sources that are driving ecological collapse.
For readers seeking a deeper understanding of why climate action continues to stall despite scientific clarity, Overshoot offers a powerful, sobering, and necessary critique of the systems that underpin the crisis. Ultimately, the contribution of Malm and Carton in Overshoot is found in the forced confrontation with the uncomfortable reality that climate breakdown is not simply the result of inaction or technical failure but arguably deliberate political and economic choices. The book concludes with a striking example: the October 2023 rollout of pets on board luxury flights from London to Dubai. This anecdote reinforces the authors’ core message—that people will continue to live in ways that maximize comfort and convenience as long as the system allows it, and the economy will continue to profit off that comfort. If the current trajectory continues, overshoot is not just likely, but it is inevitable as well.