“Corona is simpler: even though the situation is dramatic right now, it will pass. As an author I was never interested in stories about epidemics, since there have been a lot already in the last decades. I do, however, try and ask people to act responisbly by wearing masks, washing their hands and reducing contacts.

The climate crisis will keep us busy for much longer and will get worse instead of better. I have been dealing with this topic for quite a while. As an author, the challenge isn’t bringing the topic into the center of attention, since it is already super present and there is even a genre dedicated to it: cli-fi. The question is how to change the decisions people and especially politicans take regarding climate change. Because, as we have seen, there is not much that actually happens after celebrated conferences and announcements.”

Marc Elsberg lives and works in Vienna. His  international bestsellers “Blackout” and “Zero” established Elsberg’s reputation as author of highly popluar and–at the same time–thorougly researched science thrillers.  For both books Elsberg received the  award for “non-fiction book of the year”  by the German popular science publication “Bild der Wissenschaft”. His newest book “Gier” is DER SPIEGEL bestseller and dealswith questions of competition and equality.

Photo: Clemens Lechner