I’ve just finished reading the “sequel” to Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie, Clearing the Air (A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change - in 50 Questions and Answers), which I got for Christmas. It has the same name as Clearing the Air: The Beginning and the End of Air Pollution by Tim Smedley but is a different (although related) topic and format.
Surprise
There weren’t many surprises for me (there were a few though) but then I read the previous book and read a lot on this topic in general. I also work in electro-tech so it’s kinda my job to know about these things.
It’s a nice format and a good reference to have to counter specific arguments often made about sustainability and solutions to climate breakdown. However, I think the general advice is more useful, particularly around baselines.
It’s All About the Baseline
The main thing that climate criticisms get wrong is using the wrong baseline. Things are compared to perfect, but as anyone with half a brain knows, there are no perfect solutions. It’s always a trade-off and compromise. You need to actually look at the numbers and see how the magnitudes compare to now.
For example, cobalt for batteries can come from exploitative mines but cobalt is also used in oil refining, and battery chemistry is changing anyway. Wind turbines can kill birds but so does climate change, fossil fuels (e.g. oil slicks), vehicles, buildings and cats (the RSPB even has a wind turbine at its HQ). EVs aren’t as good as walking or cycling but emit much less harmful air pollution than combustion vehicles.
People seem to grow a “conscience” when arguing against something they have already decided they don’t like. Yet they don’t care (or realise, if you’re generous) that their current behaviour is already causing more harm than the solution would.
Revolution
Another interesting insight is how the electro-tech revolution will reduce the need for shipping (much of it is for moving fossil fuels around), and improve energy security and geopolitics. When you can provide your own energy then you don’t need to worry about where the fuel comes from and, conversely, if you are a country that has fuel reserves then you don’t need to worry as much about who wants to take it.
The difference between fuel and resources required to build clean-tech is that fuel is needed constantly for burning but you only need raw materials to build new generation capacity. Your existing wind, solar and batteries keep working, harvesting and storing the free energy from nature.
Summary
Clearing the Air is a helpful resource for convincing people that protecting the planet for future generations is something worth doing, and worth doing quickly. Recommended reading.