Last week saw the end of the hugely important world conference on climate change. After weeks of speeches by environmentalists, and the usual hot air and back-slapping by politicians, sincere promises were made (for the cameras at least) that positive action will be taken.

We were told that the world’s big industrial powers will finally put in motion measures to reduce pollution, combat global warming and thus save the planet.

It sounded quite encouraging until some independent scientists and environmentalists announced that the proposed measures, costing billions of dollars, will actually achieve nothing! So who are we to believe?

I recently read an excellent book, “Iron, Steam and Money – The Making of the Industrial Revolution” written by British author Roger Osborne in 2013. The book tells of the history of modern industrialisation, which of course began in England in the 18^th century and spread throughout the world changing the way human beings lived, seemingly forever.

The book ends with this paragraph,

“Life before industrialisation was, for most people, a continual struggle to survive; without reliable sources of energy we cannot live secure and comfortable lives. Any answer to the twin problems of global resources and climate change must begin with that stark truth”.

The question is therefore, are we prepared to sacrifice the security and comfort provided by industrialisation (with all of its side effects) to save our planet?