Zac Goldsmith

A very pragmatic book by Zac Goldsmith. He outlines the course that British politics will have to undertake in the immediate future. The ten steps he puts forward are supposed to lead to a more sustainable development for his troubled island nation.

None of these ideas are actually new - Goldsmith does not fail to mention that they all have been succesfully employed elsewhere in the world. While this may be desirable for policy-makers it is far less desirable for the readers of his book: All the themes of his book have been outlined in greater details and more thoroughly elsewhere. This book might be suitable for readers that are very new to environmental topics introducing them to the basic patterns of the green agenda.

For readers more accustomed to green topics the book will not be very enlightening. It lacks depth and thorough analysis. Goldsmith suggests that some basic and simple policy tools will suffice to green his country. This does leave questions which the book fails to answer.

From the editor of "The Ecologist" one would have hoped for a much more intensive discussion of the ecologic crisis. Such discussions have very recently been provided by (among others):
Sara Parkin (The positive deviant), Clive Hamilton (Requiem for a species) and Prince Charles of Wales (Harmony).

The only genuine achievement of the book is the pragmatic agenda suitable for immediate application in the UK. Its components are well composed and appear to be able to steer the country in the right direction. Let's see if Goldsmith can make this agenda come true!… (mehr)