Facing the polycrisis: a call for honesty and action
A few weeks ago, our patron, Professor Mike Berners-Lee addressed a sell out crowd at our fundraising event in Penrith. Launching his book, A Climate of Truth in a talk that swung between humour and restrained anger, he outlined the complete lack of progress made by the COP since they first met 30 years ago in 1995.
He said that in addition to climate change, impacts such as energy, population, food, biodiversity, pollution and disease are all interlinked, and how we are fast moving towards what he calls a ‘polycrisis’. Outlining that there is already the necessary technology and increasing public support, progress on the polycrisis is being prevented by a lack of honesty in politics, media, and business, and illustrated that by explaining the amount of time wasted by experts correcting misinformation spread by the media and politicians on the proposed Cumbria coal mine.
He expressed that regardless of the increase in renewable energy, that we also need to drastically cut our energy use and cease the use of fossil fuels.
Mike ended on a positive note by saying that we’re underestimating the readiness of everyone around us to take action, and that if you stand up and challenge the way things are, others will follow.
If you missed our event, Mike will be speaking on 28th May at Crosthwaite near Kendal, and if you can wait a little bit longer, he’ll be back in Penrith on 16th September.
Mike says you can get his book at your local independent book shop, or failing that, it’s available from the publishers, Cambridge University Press.
