Comment on Favourite Book for 2020 in An-Nahar, 24 Dec 2020

Dr. Nasser Saidi was asked to choose his favourite book for 2020 and his comments were published in An Nahar on the 24th of Dec 2020. The English translation is posted below.
 
Favourite book: “The Uninhabitable Earth” by David Wallace-Wells
Covid19 is a sharp wake up call to humanity that, despite rapid advances in technology, it is not immune to physical risks. An infinitesimally small virus has brought human activity to a standstill. However, pandemic risks are trivial compared to climate risks which pose an existential risk to humanity. We have entered the ‘Anthropocene age’ where humans are systematically destroying their environment, their livelihood, their home and their planet. Past geological epochs were the result of external forces of nature or cosmic events. This time it is human action that is leading to calamitous climate change. In this Anthropocene age, we are rapidly destroying our global ecosystem, invading animal habitats, committing ecocide. The result is pandemics and a breakdown of barriers between human and other animals, threatening our inbuilt immune systems and built-up health systems and infrastructure. David Wallace-Wells book warns us about “The Uninhabitable Earth”, and that future is upon us if we do not immediately act. Decarbonisation, ‘green deals’ and ‘blue deals’ are imperative if we and other animals are to survive. There is no planet B!