麻豆传媒

OF NINE planetary 鈥渂oundaries鈥� for maintaining Earth鈥檚 life-support systems, a 2009 analysis by Johan Rockstr枚m found we have clearly crossed three, those being climate change, nitrogen pollution and loss of biodiversity. But the good news is that for others, such as land and water use, the analysis concluded there is still some 鈥渟afe operating space for humanity鈥�.

In The God Species, environment writer Mark Lynas packages this with his new-found technological optimism to create a redemptive manifesto for humanity 鈥� how we can play God and win.

Many greens will hate it: Lynas is pro-nuclear, pro-genetically modified food and pro-capitalism. But his clear-eyed exorcism of some old green demons falls short of a solution. Technically we know how to fix problems like climate change, but we are not doing it. Capitalism may be up to the task, but Lynas doesn鈥檛 tell us how.