Green Urbanist - Sustainable Placemaking, Planning and Urban Design #116: A Climate of Truth, with Mike Berners-Lee
May 8, 2025
Mike Berners-Lee, a Professor at Lancaster University and author of 'A Climate of Truth', dives deep into the urgent need for honesty in confronting the climate crisis. He discusses the 'polycrisis', highlighting how advanced technologies can worsen environmental challenges but also pave the way for solutions. Berners-Lee emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and global empathy in the Anthropocene, advocating for transparency from leaders and media to restore trust. He critiques misleading advertising and stresses a collective approach in addressing our complex climate reality.
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Climate Crisis in a Polycrisis Context
- The climate crisis is part of a larger polycrisis, a multi-layered global challenge with interconnected issues.
- Tackling climate change alone is not enough; we must address the wider systemic problems engaging economics, politics, and society.
Human Power vs. Planet Wisdom
- Human technological power has outpaced wisdom, causing environmental destruction and a mounting polycrisis.
- Physical environmental challenges include climate, biodiversity loss, pollution, and population growth, all worsening due to current systems.
GDP Growth Undermines Sustainability
- Our current economic framework, especially GDP growth focus, undermines environmental sustainability.
- Despite its flaws, mainstream politicians avoid challenging it, signaling deeper systemic barriers to progress.