Book Review: State of the World 2008
This year sees the publication of the 25th
edition of the Worldwatch Institute’s annual review of the planet’s state of
social, economic and physical health.
It’s the product of a huge amount of research and analysis from a wide ranging
team of contributors. And although many
of the examples given are from the US
it presents a great deal of information that will be of interest to those
living in the UK.
The book contains a wonderful quote from
Albert Einstein – “We can’t solve problems by using the same thinking we used
when created them”. In keeping with this
the book concentrates on innovations and new ways of thinking all aimed at
tackling the many problems we have.
There’s a review of the current state of environmental play and a call
for the creation of what might be termed a 21st century economic
model. One that aims to bring the
economy back into balance with the global ecosystem rather than one that simply
exploits it.
Hopes are pinned on the private sector
rising to the challenge. The authors see
the old ‘command and control’ method of trying to regulate to bring about
change as being obsolete. Instead there
should be greater encouragement to innovate alongside a set of market forces
that will naturally result in new ways of working and thinking. A stronger emphasis on making the ‘polluter
pay’ will bring about solutions that will reduce the pollution and therefore
the cost both to the company and to the planet.
The book cites many inspiring and wide
ranging examples of serious changes that have already been put into action by
major companies as they attempt to reform the way they manufacture goods. It also lists the huge amount of private
sector investment that is now being poured into the economy to search of sustainable
solutions.
Above all the book offers a real ray of
hope that action is being taken on an ever increasing scale and I would
thoroughly recommend it to anyone with a serious concern for the
environment. It’s so easy to think that
we are already too late to ‘save the planet’ – State of the World 2008 might
just help you to see that the fight back against the damage we’ve been causing
is really gaining momentum.
State of the World 2008 is published by EJ Members Earthscan – order your copy now.
Tags: energy, environment, Reviews