Mike Berners-Lee: Truth does exist
This interview was originally written in Dutch. This is an English translation.
Stop selling nonsense. That is the most important task if we want to prevent an environmental disaster, according to Professor Mike Berners-Lee. In his view, fund managers have a crucial role to play in this. ‘It would help them if they were given the fiduciary duty to take our planet and future generations into account.’
By Joost van Mierlo
As a professor at Lancaster University, Mike Berners-Lee has been working on climate change for years. Berners-Lee, brother of Tim Berners-Lee – the inventor of the World Wide Web – believes that we have the technological knowledge to turn the tide on climate change. But that's not enough. ‘Most technological innovations only serve to further damage our planet.’
Climate change has been a major concern for over fifty years. Since the first Conference of the Parties (COP) in 1995, there have been 29 such international meetings. Berners-Lee: ‘It may be me, but I don't see the results. Greenhouse gas emissions are still rising.’
In his latest book, A Climate of Truth, he focuses on what can be done to turn the tide. It is crucial not to deny the problem. In his view, distorting the truth is the most worrying development of recent years.
However, acknowledging the problem is only a necessary first step. Radical action is needed. ‘If we don't take action, we are heading for the total collapse of our planet. No one can say exactly how long this will take, but if nothing changes, I estimate that it will take a maximum of twenty years before irreparable catastrophes occur.’
In the early 1970s, the Club of Rome predicted in its report ‘The Limits to Growth’ that if growth was not curbed, an environmental disaster would occur within twenty years. We are now more than half a century down that road. In the meantime, we have been constantly confronted with disaster scenarios. You are now predicting another catastrophe in twenty years‘ time. Is the real disaster always twenty years in the future?
’It's a nice observation, but nothing more than that. It is clear that we are dealing with the uncontrolled expansion of many things. Whether it concerns the use of energy, water or pesticides, if you plot it on a historical axis, there has been almost vertical growth since the 1950s. There are only two solutions: continuous innovation or a drastic reduction in consumption, with fossil fuels being the most crucial in view of climate change.'
But this has been said for decades. Why is it more urgent now?
‘The system is creaking at the seams. We are almost constantly dealing with extreme weather conditions. There is increasing uncertainty in the global economy, and the same is true of the political world order.
I find it worrying that truth is seen as a subjective concept. Some things are indisputable.
The increasing uncertainty is evident, as is the fact that no one knows exactly how the catastrophe will unfold. We don't know what the problems will look like from one minute to the next or from one blow to the next, but if no fundamental change takes place, we know that we are heading for disaster. Not only in terms of climate, but also in terms of fertility and the emergence of new forms of cancer. In my book, I refer to a polycrisis, because it is not just about the environment.
When you talk about uncertainty in the global economy and the political world order, many people will point the finger at US President Trump. How do you respond to that?
That's too short-sighted. I can imagine that the turmoil surrounding import tariffs, to give just one example, doesn't help. The biggest problem with Trump, however, is that he plays fast and loose with the truth. And that doesn't just apply to Trump, of course, but he is one of the most prominent exponents of what has come to be known as ‘post-truth’. The deliberate manipulation of the truth is one of the biggest political problems of our time. I find it worrying that truth is seen as a subjective concept. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, of course, but some things are indisputable. If we are standing on top of a tall building and you say you can fly, while I say that this is not possible, you have a big problem if you want to prove you are right.
What are the truths that cannot be doubted?
The simplest and most fundamental truth about environmental issues is that greenhouse gas emissions lead to rising temperatures. The more detailed our attempts to predict the consequences of this, the greater the uncertainty, but there is no doubt among scientists about the fundamental question of whether greenhouse gas emissions lead to climate change.
What we must demand of politicians is that they present the best possible concept of the truth. That is what I refer to in the title of my book, A Climate of Truth. Everyone has a role to play in this, not least the media. But ultimately, it is up to every voter to hold politicians to account on this issue.'
You say this at a time in history when trust in politicians is lower than ever. Isn't it true, as Winston Churchill said, that democracy is the best form of government, except for all the others?
We are in a different situation than in the past. Most problems in the past could be solved with gradual, evolutionary solutions. That is no longer the case. We have access to numerous technological developments and innovations that can help us tackle the current problems. What matters is that we develop the wisdom to use these technological resources in a way that actually leads to solutions.
Aren't you asking for a new kind of human being?
'No, I don't believe in the view of humans as short-sighted, self-serving creatures. I'm not alone in this view, as evidenced by the book Humankind by your fellow countryman Rutger Bregman. But more importantly, many neurosurgeons are saying the same thing. Genetic specialists make it clear that there is no other animal for which cooperation is so crucial. And historically, of course, there are numerous examples of communities that have made decisions under the most difficult circumstances that have enabled these communities to flourish.
We need to get much better at ignoring technological developments that are harmful to us.
What does this mean for asset managers?
I think this message is crucial for asset managers and for the financial sector as a whole. After all, we are talking about a sector that is largely focused on the future. This certainly applies to insurers and pension funds. This week, I read a story about insurers who are concerned about the ‘insurability’ of real estate due to climate change. These are, of course, very significant signals.
Many of the potentially attractive applications of technological innovations are being kept hidden because so many people still deny the problem of climate change.
When it comes to long-term returns, asset managers must assume that the right political decisions will be made to prevent the impending catastrophe. Many of the potentially attractive applications of technological innovations are being kept hidden because so many people still deny the problem of climate change.
Can you give some examples?
'First and foremost, this concerns improving our energy system. The storage and transport of sustainable energy will improve rapidly in the coming years. The same applies to the way in which the energy potential of hydrogen is exploited. This concerns its transport, by ship or train, or its storage above and below ground.
A completely different example is aviation. The development of a new type of aircraft is probably too far off, but the aviation sector is currently working on finding a solution to avoid so-called contrails, to ensure that emissions from long flights can be reduced by three quarters. The companies that take the lead in this will become more attractive.
Huge transitions are coming in the use of plastic, for example in packaging. Changes will take place in the food sector. Not only towards more sustainable agriculture, but also towards machines and robots that perform certain activities within the agricultural sector.
What is the role of artificial intelligence?
We talk about technology as if we can control it. But historically, that has not usually been the case. This is a particular concern when it comes to developments in artificial intelligence. If used correctly, there are fantastic opportunities to protect us against certain diseases or to bring about necessary reforms in agriculture.
However, the most crucial thing is that we need to become much better at ignoring technological developments that are harmful to us. This is especially true for artificial intelligence.'
How can you encourage asset managers to take advantage of the most promising investment opportunities?
What I hear from asset managers is that they would like to receive a letter or a mandate from the owners of their pension funds or investment funds stating that they have a fiduciary duty to take into account the future of our planet and future generations in their investment decisions.
If asset managers can be accused of negligence when they fail to take the well-being of our planet or that of future generations into account in their investment behaviour, they will be forced to invest in companies that can play a crucial role in solving the current problems surrounding climate change.
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Mike Berners-Lee Mike Berners-Lee (1964) is Professor of Environmental Science at Lancaster University. He is also the owner of Small World Consulting, a consultancy firm that offers practical solutions for reducing emissions to companies and governments. He has written numerous books on environmental issues. The most successful were ‘How Bad are Bananas’ (2010) on the environmental impact of numerous products and ‘There is no Planet B’ (2019). His most recent book, ‘A Climate of Truth’, was published in March 2025. |