Three recent broadcasts – a travelogue and two news stories – have reminded me of a concept rooted in Greek philosophy and and for a time prominent in English thought. The concept is moderation in all things.
The travelogue, shown on the BBC a few weeks ago, followed Simon Reeve across the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Interesting as always, Reeve repeated a call he’s made a number of times – for wealthy Brits to go on eco-tourism holidays as a way of supporting indigenous people and still-wild parts of the planet. Although he made the link between wilderness loss and climate change, he didn’t and doesn’t make the link between climate change and long-distance air travel. I found myself thinking: OK, maybe, but perhaps a trip to the Kalahari should be considered the adventure of a lifetime, rather than yet another holiday to add to an already voluminous bucket list.
The first of the news items was yesterday’s announcement that the former Arsenal footballer Hector Bellerin, who now plays for Real Betis, has won the BBC Green Sports Award. His passion for the environment translates into his way of life, as well as advocacy within the sport, including lively conversations with team-mates about travel and consumerism. His viewpoint is that with power comes responsibility; and that it’s better to say what you think is important than keep quiet about it.
And the second news item, announced today, sounds equally refreshing. It is that for the first six months of 2025, renewables generated more electricity globally than was generated by burning coal. Dig a bit deeper and there are a few issues. Firstly, it’s driven by China: in the US and Europe, coal and gas generation rose compared with 2024. Secondly, the growth in renewables is taken up by the increase in global electricity demand. We are still on course for total power-related carbon emissions to be broadly stable – and for overall carbon emissions, including transport and so forth, to rise to record levels in 2025.
I am beginning to wonder whether, in my lifetime, I will ever witness our government move away from its over-riding fixation with GDP growth; and the concomitant growth in energy consumption, resource use, and greenhouse gas emissions (technological miracles always pending).
A shift in practice, that is, from immoderation in things we like and can afford.