Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the World in the 20th Century (Allen Lane History) Book

Humanity has consumed 10 times more energy since 1900 than in the previous thousand years. John McNeill will probably not appreciate reviewers pointing out this crude, back-of-an-envelope calculation of his, but I suspect he will have to get used to it. It is an extraordinary statistic, and one that should give all who care about the future of our planet pause for thought. People also move more rock and earth around the world than wind, glaciers, mountain-building processes or volcanoes. Only water remains a more effective agent of erosion--just. So numerous and powerful have people become in the twentieth century that we now collectively rank as a geological process. The first part of Something New Under The Sun details these amazing facts, figures and estimates as McNeill guides the reader through the impact of 20th-century humans on the earth's geology, soils, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The second part explores the political, economic and social factors that have led to these impacts. This is a monumental work of multidisciplinary scholarship that should earn McNeill the respect of academics and public alike. The author makes few judgements about the future of our planet, and fewer still about the wisdom of our twentieth century activities, a philosophical position that lends a certain blandness to the text in places. However, as a contribution to a field of study riddled with ideology and polarised, empirically questionable opinions, Something New Under The Sun is a breath of fresh air. --Chris LaversRead More