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The Vanishing Face Of Gaia: A Final Warning (2009)

by James E. Lovelock(Favorite Author)

3.8 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0465015492 (ISBN13: 9780465015498)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Basic Books

review 1: This was a very eye opening book by the father of Gaia theory. Based on what reviews and references I've seen to his other work, I get the feeling this was a much tamer trip into the world of Gaia by Lovelock. He speaks candidly of the present state of our planet, carbon dioxide concentration, polar caps melting, changes in vegetation, and the abundance of human influence on the Gaian system. He believes, and supports with sufficient scientific evidence, that the damage we have done to the planet is more or less irreversible and that we are slipping into a climatic hot period. In contrast to the warnings in his previous works (I gather), this book is a bit more optimistic about the future. Although the hot period is imminent, Lovelock feels that both humanity and Gaia... more will continue after the shift occurs. Lovelock does warn however, although never in so many words, that as the hot period commences, the human race will likely be unable to sustain itself at present population levels. He alludes to the fact that the fit will survive, and expects only a fraction of the present population in the post-interglacial period after the final climate shift.One thing that surprised me was Lovelock's very vocal support of some non-traditionally green initiatives. He is very much in favor of nuclear energy, and supports his claim with carbon footprint and environmental analysis that show that nuclear power is less polluting and impactful than even traditional "green" power systems like wind turbines and solar voltaic cell power. He also supports the emerging technology of solar thermal power, which is ideal for high sun, warmer climates like the tropics and deserts.
review 2: I read this because many other books I've read on climate change reference James Lovelock, and I remember getting a very brief introduction to the Gaia theory back in the 1980s. While this is a somewhat rambling and depressing book, what has stuck with me is his mention of cognitive dissonance, which is basically the practice of trying to mentally reconcile conflicting information. I was experiencing a lot of cognitive dissonance while listening to this book, and I'm still processing what to believe.First, Lovelock claims that nuclear is the only form of energy that can help get some portion of humanity through climate change, but most other works I've been looking at rely on other renewable energy forms (wind and solar PV and solar thermal) as energy sources of the future because of problems with nuclear that Lovelock discounts as fiction (diminishing sources of uranium, toxicity of spent fuel, cost of making nuclear plants and processing fuel, potential for terrorism). He compares numbers of people killed as a result of nuclear energy since its commercial use began in the 1950s (under 100 if you counter Chernobyl) to the numbers of people killed processing coal and other fossil fuels (thousands). Another statement that causes some dissonance is his claim that the respiration of all humans and their pets and livestock make up for about 25% of the carbon released into the atmosphere. It's claims like this that make me rethink what I've read elsewhere, but I don't have that much time to research which of his claims are true.Locklock's focus is on Gaia (the earth as a self-regulating organism, comprised of many parts including humans) and its survival, which allows him to write off several billion human deaths as a correction to the overall organism. However, he broaches the ethical issues of trying to stave off global heating and the upcoming refugee problems as people try to move from hot, uninhabitable areas to the oases, one of which he things will be the British Isles. Overall, it's a difficult work because the subject matter is fairly depressing, but also because it's filled with claims that you have to stop and question and because it's an odd mix of science book, biography, and political manifesto. less

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