Time to stop hoping this is wrong

A new book by James Lovelock tells us that - well - we’re screwed.

The world has already passed the point of no return for climate change, and civilisation as we know it is now unlikely to survive, according to James Lovelock, the scientist and green guru who conceived the idea of Gaia - the Earth which keeps itself fit for life.

In a profoundly pessimistic new assessment, published in today’s Independent, Professor Lovelock suggests that efforts to counter global warming cannot succeed, and that, in effect, it is already too late.

Other research supports the idea that there will be a feedback loop that amplifies the effects in our lifetimes - indeed over the next decade. The effects may be a cataclysm. Doomsday. The final act of the human race.

In the United States we have an administration that still won’t recognize climate change at all. Let’s hope its the last one to make that grave error on behalf of contributors in the Energy sector.

We hear our older statemen say - “Oh, we don’t really know what’s going on. Could be anything that’s causing this.” And yet, an ever growing chorus of thousands of world class scientists continue to sound the alarm bells. Something IS happening. Ignore it at all our peril.

All our silly debates about cuts to the GST make not one iota of difference when Earth becomes inhospitable to human life. We may still have a chance to fix this. Even if we don’t, what choice do we have but to make emmissions reduction the number one political issue of our lifetimes. It is a struggle we cannot afford to lose. Not for ourselves, or for our children. My ten week old daughter deserves my best effort. What about you and yours?