Green Living: Panic over?

Since then there has been a growing controversy over whether the fundamentals of what we're told is happening to the Earth's climate is even accurate.

The debate once seemed closed, with anyone who didn't agree that man-made global warming was affecting the climate consigned to the lunatic fringe.

But over the past year a growing number of voices have emerged challenging the status quo, and arguing that the effect we have on the planet has been vastly exaggerated. The usual examples of historical changes in climate are trotted out to justify the position that there's really nothing to worry about.

Their case has been helped by a couple of slip-ups by leading environmentalists. First, there was a leak of what seemed to be embarrassing emails from climate scientists colluding to shape the data to fit their arguments.

Then the UN's panel on climate change, chaired by Rajendra Pachauri, pictured, had to admit that their claim that Himalayan glaciers would melt in our lifetimes was inaccurate. All great stuff if you think green issues are tree-hugging nonsense.

So is it safe to go back to the old days of rampant consumerism? I don't think so. In fact, it really doesn't matter whether you think climate change is happening or not, or whether it's caused by human actions.

Pretty soon we are going to run out of coal and gas. Unless we can make a shift now to a more sustainable society, we are all going to have a very bumpy landing when that happens.

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