There Is No Planet B

THERE IS NO PLANET B
A Handbook for the Make or Break Years
Mike Berners-Lee thinks, writes, researches and consults on

sustainability and responses to the challenges of the twenty-
first century. He is the founder of Small World Consulting
(SWC), an associate company of Lancaster University, which
works with organisations from small businesses to the biggest
tech giants. SWC is a leader in the field of carbon metrics,
targets and actions.
About his first book – How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Foot-
print Of Everything – Bill Bryson wrote ‘I can’t remember the last
time I read a book that was more fascinating, useful and enjoy-
able all at the same time’.
His second book (co-written with Duncan Clark) – The Burning
Question: We Can’t Burn Half the World’s Oil, Coal, and Gas. So How Do
We Quit? – explores the big picture of climate change and the
underlying global dynamics, asking what mix of politics, eco-
nomics, psychology and technology are really required to deal
with the problem. Al Gore described it as ‘Fascinating, important
and highly recommended’.
Mike is a professor in the Institute for Social Futures at Lan-
caster University, where he develops practical tools for thinking
about the future, and researches the global food system and
carbon metrics.
Published online by Cambridge University Press

“ . . . a lively and cogent assessment of what is happening to the Earth’s
biosphere and resources. He tells us what we can do if we want to make a
difference, and tread more softly on the planet. All citizens should be grateful
for this information-packed and wide-ranging primer.”
Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and author of On the Future:
Prospects for Humanity
“I absolutely love this book. Evidence-based, robust and full of practical

guidance. In an increasingly complex and confusing world, this stands out as
a beacon of common sense, clarity and – crucially – hope.”
Caroline Lucas, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
“It asks all the searching and systemic questions I want to ask as humanity
peers over a precipice. . .and has a bloody good go at answering them with
data, experience and integrity.”
Pooran Desai, Bioregional and Oneplanet.com
“This truly is The Handbook we all need to flourish on our small planet”.
Stewart Wallis, Executive Chair, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance
“This is a massively entertaining compendium of bite-size facts . . . It’s also

massively important, given the current state of the planet.”
Bill McKibben
“Who should read There Is No Planet B? Everyone. Mike Berners-Lee has

written a far-ranging and truth-telling handbook that is as readable as it is
instructive.”
Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, author of The Sixth Extinction:
An Unnatural History
“A much-needed, critically important, straight-talking handbook for abso-

lutely everyone on our long-suffering planet. We ignore it at our peril.”
Mark Carwardine, co-author (with Douglas Adams) of
Last Chance to See
“ . . . a wonderfully abundant buffet-table of knowledge about sustainability

and you can enjoy it all at one sitting or benefit from visiting for bite-size
chunks. Either way, you’ll come away wiser, healthier and also entertained . . .
Mike doesn’t preach, instead he shares his insights with warmth and wit, and
his book could not be more timely.”
David Shukman, BBC Science Editor

There Is No Planet B
A Handbook for the Make or Break Years
MIKE BERNERS-LEE

University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom
One Liberty Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10006, USA
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
314–321, 3rd Floor, Plot 3, Splendor Forum, Jasola District Centre,
New Delhi – 110025, India
79 Anson Road, #06-04/06, Singapore 079906
Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.

It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of
education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781108439589
DOI: 10.1017/9781108545969
© Mike Berners-Lee 2019
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2019
3rd printing 2019
Printed in the United Kingdom by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Berners-Lee, Mike, author.
Title: There is no Planet B : a handbook for the make or break years / Mike
Berners-Lee.
Other titles: There is no Planet B | There is no Plan B
Description: Cambridge ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, [2019] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018049322| ISBN 9781108439589 (pbk. : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Power resources. | Power resources–Environmental aspects. |
Energy consumption. | Energy consumption–Environmental aspects. |
Climatic changes. | Pollution. | Environmental protection.
Classification: LCC TJ163.2 .B4745 2019 | DDC 363.7–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018049322
ISBN 978-1-108-43958-9 Paperback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.

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THERE IS NO PLANET B

A Handbook for the Make or Break Years

Mike Berners-Lee thinks, writes, researches and consults on

Published online by Cambridge University Press

“I absolutely love this book. Evidence-based, robust and full of practical

“This is a massively entertaining compendium of bite-size facts . . . It’s also

“Who should read There Is No Planet B? Everyone. Mike Berners-Lee has

“A much-needed, critically important, straight-talking handbook for abso-

“ . . . a wonderfully abundant buffet-table of knowledge about sustainability

Published online by Cambridge University Press

Published online by Cambridge University Press

Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.

Published online by Cambridge University Press

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