Last month, Ian McEwan announced that we have eight years left to save the planet from global warming. The timeframe seems to be based less on the scientific evidence than on the audacious hope that Obama's administration will avert the impending environmental catastrophe. McEwan acknowledged that 'within the climate science community there is a faction darkly murmuring that it is already too late,' but stood by the 'majority view' that doom won't be certain until Obama leaves the White House. 'Thereafter, as tipping points are reached, as feedback loops strengthen, the emissions curve will rise too quickly for us to restrain it.' The feeling that there ought to be several tipping points, rather than just the one, is understandable. Everyone secretly wants to believe that even when it's too late, it's not too late.

LRB 4 December 2008 | PDF Download