What We Are Reading
The publication of Bill McGuire’s latest book, Hothouse Earth, could not be more timely. Appearing in the shops this week, it will be perused by sweltering customers who have just endured record high temperatures across the UK and now face the prospect of weeks of drought to add to their discomfort. And this is just the beginning, insists McGuire, who is an emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London. As he makes clear in his uncompromising depiction of the coming climatic catastrophe, we have – for far too long – ignored explicit warnings that rising carbon emissions are dangerously heating the Earth. Now we are going to pay the price for our complacency in the form of storms, floods, droughts, and heatwaves that will easily surpass current extremes. “This is a call to arms,” he says. “So if you feel the need to glue yourself to a motorway or blockade an oil refinery, do it. Drive an electric car or, even better, use public transport, walk or cycle. Switch to a green energy tariff; eat less meat. Stop flying; lobby your elected representatives at both local and national level, and use your vote wisely to put in power a government that walks the talk on the climate emergency.”
MRP™ views:
Developed countries have a significant impact on transport emissions that is far greater than developed countries. On average, countries like the USA, Australia and New Zealand show an outsized per capita emissions of between 13 Tonnes – 17 Tonnes CO2-eq. In comparison, the average emissions per person in developing countries (up to middle income) are around 2 Tonnes. Another study found that 92 % of global excess emissions are due to developed (global north) country activities, including transportation missions. A significant part of our personal emissions are from our usage of transport, and significantly from our use of private vehicles. At an individual user level, this book is a call to action to consider our personal transport choices and whether we could individually and collectively reduce our annual emissions by making better, informed and sustainable transport choices where possible.
One of the world’s largest ice sheets could raise sea levels by more than 7 metres if it disappeared – and melt is accelerating. Greenland’s vast ice sheets cover most of the world’s biggest island, locking up enough water to raise sea levels by 7.42m worldwide. But just as wildfires have gripped Europe and annual droughts have struck parts of the United States, the recent July heatwave in the northern hemisphere is having an impact on the Arctic outpost too.
Read MoreThe future may be unpredictable, but it is not unknowable. We can’t pinpoint where the next raging forest fire or record temperature will hit. But we know they will happen. This summer, cool Britannia is most unexpectedly busting the thermometer. The fire this time is visiting a broad swath of Mediterranean countries and, as usual, scorching California’s most treasured natural landmarks.
Read MoreKylie Jenner has faced a torrent of criticism for her decision to take her private jet on a flight that lasted just 17 minutes. But the practice of taking brief journeys on luxury aircraft appears to be common among the rich and famous despite mounting concerns over the climate crisis.
Read MoreEvery year the lives of approximately 1.3 million people are cut short as a result of a road traffic crash. Between 20 and 50 million more people suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability as a result of their injury. Road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to individuals, their families, and to nations as a whole. These losses arise from the cost of treatment as well as lost productivity for those killed or disabled by their injuries, and for family members who need to take time off work or school to care for the injured. Road traffic crashes cost most countries 3% of their gross domestic product.
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