The state of the planet is scary - But that's just the start

clock • 5 min read

Scaring people is only the first step in driving climate action - we have to then show people how to channel their fear, argues David Powell from the New Economics Foundation

Last week marked Earth Overshoot Day. August 2 was 2017's date roughly calculated as when we've started to cause more impact on the ecosystem than it can safely absorb, and used more of its resources than...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Climate change

COP17: Why the world still can't agree on how to tackle drought

COP17: Why the world still can't agree on how to tackle drought

Often overshadowed by larger and busier UN climate summits, this year's COP17 desertification summit felt more important than ever - yet countries still failed to agree on what needs to be done, according to University of Leeds academic Susan Ann Samuel...

Susan Ann Samuel, University of Leeds
clock 04 September 2026 • 4 min read
From the Highlands to the Himalayas: This summer's climate extremes are a warning businesses cannot ignore

From the Highlands to the Himalayas: This summer's climate extremes are a warning businesses cannot ignore

Tackling climate change is not a story about sacrifice - it is a story about progress, and about finally turning off the oil tap, writes Polestar's Fredrika Klarén

Fredrika Klarén, Polestar
clock 04 September 2026 • 5 min read
'Without action, these could be the good years': A quarter of UK food imports come from regions most exposed to El Niño impacts

'Without action, these could be the good years': A quarter of UK food imports come from regions most exposed to El Niño impacts

Imports of commodities such as rice, coffee, and cocoa mean up to £17bn is at risk from 'Super El Niño' climate impacts

Stuart Stone
clock 03 September 2026 • 6 min read