Don’t panic, planet earth is better off than we think

AS WE mark Earth Day on Apr 22, it is tempting to believe that the world is on the brink of environmental collapse. We are constantly inundated by dire predictions of climate catastrophe and warnings about the planet’s imminent destruction. But this is misleading.

Rather than spiralling into panic, we should take a moment to appreciate the remarkable progress we have made in improving the environment – and acknowledge that a key factor is prosperity.

When Earth Day was first marked 55 years ago, the world faced some grim environmental challenges. Rivers were catching fire, and cities were choked with smog. Air and water pollution were rampant, especially in the industrialised West.