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Getting people to believe that they really can make a difference in the struggle to the save the planet from human folly can be just as important as encouraging them to take action, according to one of the world’s leading Buddhist scholars.

In Vancouver for a week of teaching and lectures, Buddhist monk, poet, peace and human rights activist, Thich Nhat Hanh, sat down with David Suzuki and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson for an hour-long conversation on what it’s going to take to bring about the change in human behavior that is needed to put the world on a path that will ensure a healthy planet for future generations.

Faced with the question “What gives you hope that we can bring about the collective awakening needed to restore health to the planet? the three discussed a range of issues and ideas centred on actions that can make a real difference.

Their conversation, based on the premise that it is well known that humans are harming the earth, destroying its ecosystems and disrupting the climate, focused on the path forward to a more sustainable way of living.

Thich Nhat Hanh warned against the danger of people becoming overwhelmed by a feeling that the challenges are too big to overcome and therefore doing nothing to address them. Individuals need to know that they can make a difference if they remain hopeful and develop their inner strength.

Two short segments from the conversation are available here.

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Climate Cover Up continues to amass some amazing coverage and praise from around the world. 

Here are some of my favorite reviews so far:

Jeff Biggers reviewed Climate Cover Up at the Huffington Post:
“James Hoggan and his DeSmogBlog.com posse might be our nation’s most important sleuths—and they ain’t even from the United States. … Climate Cover-Up is an indispensable guidebook to anyone concerned about our planet’s climate future; in fact, it should be required reading for all American citizens, journalists, public policy makers — and President Barack Obama. … Let’s hope Climate Cover-Up makes it to the White House before the next round of Big Coal lobbyists.”

Liz Veazey at It’s Getting Hot in Here says:
“As someone fighting for bold climate action it is really helpful to better understand folks fighting against you and how they are organized.  I would definitely recommend the book, especially if you, like me and many others, felt like the climate denial campaign was mostly over.”

The Georgia Straight in Vancouver writes that Climate Cover Up offers “compelling insights for anyone interested in learning why there is so much confusion about this issue in the media.”

Straight Goods, Canada’s leading independent online newsmagazine, says:
“If you care about your well-being, the fate of your children and the environment, please read James Hoggan’s new book, Climate Cover-Up.”

RealClimate.org, a website that focuses on the science of climate change, had this to say about the book:
“There is an important story behind the climate change denial effort that goes well beyond the scientific issues at hand. It’s not our mission at RealClimate to tell that story, but there are others who are doing it, and doing it well. Hoggan and Littlemore are clearly among them. Read this book, and equally important, make sure that others who need to do as well.”

But my favorite quote of all (so far) comes from David Roberts at Grist, who describes DeSmogBlog as “a Canadian outfit that has its teeth in the skeptic movement’s arse like it was made of sirloin.”

Roberts says Climate Cover Up “offers chapter and verse on the industry groups, scientists for hire, and lazy-ass media that have colluded to leave the public in its current state of ignorance on the most important scientific question of our time. This isn’t just bloggy ranting either: the guys know how to dig, and they’ve uncovered original documents. Tasty, tasty documents.”


Have you seen another great review of Climate Cover Up? Drop me a line at desmogblog@gmail.com,

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Join DeSmogBlog president Jim Hoggan at the Vancouver International Film Festival on October 6th for a public screening of the new climate film ‘The Age of Stupid.’

Jim will be on hand to sign copies of his groundbreaking new book Climate Cover-up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming.

The Vancouver International Film Festival runs October 1-16 and features public screenings of The Age of Stupid as part of its extensive environmental program, The Way of Nature.

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Here's a video compilation we were working on for James Hoggan's recent keynote lecture to the Canadian Public Relations Society's national conference. We chose in the end to not use the video, but I thought it would be great for DeSmog readers.