A climate of truth : why we need it and how to get it / Mike Berners-Lee.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Berners-Lee, Mike, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Global environmental change.

Climatic changes.

Human security.

Environmental ethics.

Honesty.

Ethics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xv, 371 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2025.

Summary:

We have most of the technology we need to combat the climate crisis - and most people want to see more action. But after three decades of climate COPs, we are accelerating into a polycrisis of climate, food security, biodiversity, pollution, inequality, and more. What, exactly, has been holding us back? Mike Berners-Lee looks at the challenge from new angles. He stands further back to gain perspective; he digs deeper under the surface to see the root causes; he joins up every element of the challenge; and he learns lessons from our failures of the past. He spells out why, if humanity is to thrive in the future, the most critical step is to raise standards of honesty in our politics, our media, and our businesses. Anyone asking 'what can each of us do right now to help?' will find inspiration in this practical and important book.

Contents:

Cover

Half-title page

Reviews

Title page

Copyright page

Dedication

Contents

Introduction

How Did I Get Here?

How Is the Book Laid Out?

Before We Begin …

1 The Challenge Ahead

Breaking a Habit

Learning and Growing from Failure

An Evolution in Wisdom to Balance Our Technology

Just a Temporary Pause in Expansion?

Gaining Agency at the Global System Level

Truth

2 Standing Further Back

Why Are Efficiency Gains Adding to the Climate Emergency?

Can Energy Efficiency Be Made to Help Us After All?

Why It Doesn't Work to Add Up the National Climate Pledges

How and Why Does the Economy Grow Differently from Trees, Mice, People and Elephants?

Do We Have to Grow Until We Pop?

The Layers of the Polycrisis

3 The Outer Layer of the Polycrisis

Climate

Energy

Population

Food and Biodiversity

Pollution

Disease and Other Health Threats

The Technological and Physical Solutions

4 The Middle Layer of the Polycrisis

Why Is It So Hard to Look under the Skin?

The Kübler-Ross Grief Transition Curve, and Why Is It Relevant to Us Now?

The Broken Trinity of Politics, Media and Business

Inequality

Economics and Growth

Law

The Relationship Between Humans and Technology

Education

A Vision for the Middle Layer

5 The Core of the Polycrisis

The Inner Challenge

Seven Thinking Skills for Tackling the Polycrisis

Three Essential Values

6 Truth - The Single Most Critical Lever

Why Is Deceit Easier Than Ever?

What Do I Even Mean by Truth, Honesty and Deceit?

Blending Fact and Fiction: The Perils of Bullshit

How Can Honesty Win the Day When Lies and Bullshit Are So Easy?

Why Do We Need Kindness Alongside Truth?

Why Do We Need Strength Alongside Truth and Kindness?

What Part Do Psychopaths Play and How Can We Contain Them?.

7 Getting Truth into Politics

Is Dishonesty New in Politics?

Are the Results of the Post-Truth Experiment Coming In?

If We Let Things Slip Further, Where Does It Lead To?

Five Criteria for Assessing a Politician's Honesty

What Is Not Included in the Five Criteria?

What Can Politicians Expect in Return?

When Is It OK for a Politician to Change Their Mind?

How Should I Treat a Politician Who Has Abused Me with Dishonesty?

What Does It Take for a Politician to Regain Trust?

How Should I Vote If All the Candidates Are Unsuitable?

Why Is It Self-Defeating to Vote out of Self-Interest?

What Democratic and Parliamentary Reforms Would Help?

8 Getting Truth into the Media

How Can I Tell What Media to Trust?

What If I Enjoy Media That Fail These Tests?

How About Podcasts and Social Media?

A Tour of Selected Traditional UK Media

How Is the BBC Getting On?

What Can I Do to Improve the Media?

9 Getting Truth into Business

Truth in Marketing and Advertising

Truth in Consultancy

Truth in the Fossil Fuel Industry

Truth in the Other Extractive Industries

Truth in the Aviation Industry

Truth in the Food and Farming Industries

The Future of AI and the Tech Industry

Truth in the Gambling Industry

What Does Greenwashing Look Like and How Do We Keep It in Check?

What If I Sniff Out Dishonesty in My Industry?

Are There Any Good Businesses Out There?

10 The Evolutionary Challenge and Where Each of Us Fits In

Have We Left It Too Late?

What Makes Me Pessimistic?

What Makes Me Optimistic?

Are Humans Too Fundamentally Selfish to Survive?

How Should We Deal with Crisis Anxiety?

When the Challenge Is So Global, What's the Best We Can Hope For?

How Can I Work Out What Part to Play?

What Can I Do? A Checklist of Actions

Finally ….

Appendix 1 A Taxonomy of Deceit

Lies

Probable Lies

'White Lies'

Subtle Twists

Failure to Correct Errors

Staying Quiet

Loopholing

Misdirection of Attention

Biased Gathering of Evidence

Biased Selection of Evidence

Altering History

False Impression

Fake Judgement

Hidden Motive (or Influence)

Burying Bad News

Camouflage

Appendix 2 Honesty and Trust Criteria

Five Criteria for Assessing a Politician's Honesty - in More Depth

Five Trust Tests for a Person or a Decision

Appendix 3 What Democratic and Parliamentary Reforms Would Help in the UK?

Electoral Improvements

MPs' Conduct and What They Should Be Able to Expect in Return

Reform of Appointments

Tools for Better Decision-Making

Appendix 4 Resources

News

Fact-Checking and Whistle-Blowing

Campaigning Organisations

Books

Films/Documentaries

Financial Information

Acknowledgements

Notes

Index.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 28 Mar 2025).

ISBN:

9781009440059

1009440055

9781009440080

100944008X

9781009440073

1009440071

OCLC:

1512301273