No Planet B
There is No Planet B
Author: Mike Berners-Lee
Publication: February 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781108439589
About the book
Feeding the world, climate change, biodiversity, antibiotics, plastics – the list of concerns seems endless. But what is most pressing, what are the knock-on effects of our actions, and what should we do first? Do we all need to become vegetarian? How can we fly in a low-carbon world? Should we frack? How can we take control of technology? Does it all come down to population? And, given the global nature of the challenges we now face, what on Earth can any of us do? Fortunately, Mike Berners-Lee has crunched the numbers and plotted a course of action that is practical and even enjoyable. There is No Planet B maps it out in an accessible and entertaining way, filled with astonishing facts and analysis. For the first time you'll find big-picture perspective on the environmental and economic challenges of the day laid out in one place, and traced through to the underlying roots - questions of how we live and think. This book will shock you, surprise you - and then make you laugh. And you'll find practical and even inspiring ideas for what you can actually do to help humanity thrive on this – our only – planet.
About the author
Mike Berners-Lee thinks, writes, researches and consults on sustainability and responses to the challenges of the twenty-first century. His previous books include How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything (2010) and The Burning Question: We Can't Burn Half the World's Oil, Coal, and Gas. So How Do We Quit? (2013, co-written with Duncan Clark). Berners-Lee is a professor in the Institute for Social Futures at Lancaster University, where he develops practical tools for thinking about the future, and researches the global food system and carbon metrics.
Author website: https://theresnoplanetb.net/
Endorsements
"No matter how much you already know, this book will help orient you to where we are now on this, the only planet we have (I can testify that Mars won’t do). It would be best if everyone read it.”
- Kim Stanley Robinson, author of the Mars trilogy and 'New York 2140'
“A much-needed, critically important, straight-talking handbook for absolutely everyone on our long-suffering planet. We ignore it at our peril.”
- Mark Carwardine, co-author (with Douglas Adams) of 'Last Chance to See'
“Mike has created a wonderfully abundant buffet-table of knowledge about sustainability and you can enjoy it all at one sitting or benefit from visiting for bite-size chunks. Either way, you’ll come away wiser, healthier and also entertained.”
- David Shukman, BBC Science Editor
"I absolutely love this book…In an increasingly complex and confusing world, this book stands out as a beacon of common sense, clarity and - crucially - hope."
- Caroline Lucas, Member of Parliament, UK
“It asks all the searching and systemic questions I want to ask as humanity peers over a precipice…and has a… good go at answering them with data, experience and integrity.”
- Pooran Desai, Bioregional and Oneplanet.com
“Mike Berners-Lee has a unique ability to communicate vital information on some of the world’s most pressing challenges. In this highly readable book, he shows how severe our problems are, but also what we can do to reduce the threats we face.”
- Chris Goodall, author of 'Ten Technologies to Fix Energy and Climate and The Switch: How Solar, Storage and New Tech Means Cheap Power For All'
“This truly is The Handbook we all need to flourish on our small planet.”
- Stewart Wallis, Executive Chair, The Wellbeing Economy Alliance
Media attention
Please note these articles will direct you away from the Cambridge University Press site, and some of these articles may require a subscription to the outlet to read the full piece.
The West Morland Gazette - South Lakes author offers vision on how to save Planet Earth
