Breathe
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- £7.99
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
Brought to you by Penguin.
A seven-step guide to winning support for tough action on climate change - the first book from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan
For many years, Sadiq wasn't fully aware of the dangers posed by air pollution, nor its connection with climate change. Then, at the age of 43, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with adult-onset asthma - brought on by the polluted London air he had been breathing for decades.
Scandalised, Sadiq underwent a political transformation that would see him become one of the most prominent global politicians fighting (and winning) elections on green issues. Since becoming Mayor of London in 2016, he has declared a climate emergency, introduced the world's first Ultra-Low Emission Zone, built hundreds of kilometres of new cycle lanes, led a drive for affordable insulation in council homes, and turned London into the first ever 'National Park City'.
But with every year bringing more wildfires, extreme temperatures and flooding - and with around 4,000 people still dying prematurely from London's polluted air every year, with older, working class and ethnic minority Londoners most affected - there is so much more to do.
Now, Sadiq draws on his experiences to identify the seven ways environmental action gets blown off course. And he reveals how to get it back on track, by:
- Proving to sceptics that the climate crisis is a health crisis too;
- Overcoming voters' cynicism by building coalitions across the political spectrum;
- Shaking hands with everyone from your fiercest opponents to the most steadfast climate activists (even if you're a bit worried they might superglue you).
Breathe is a call to action demonstrating how anyone - whether voter, activist or politician - can win the argument on climate. It will help create a world where we can all breathe again.
©2023 Sadiq Khan (P)2023 Penguin Audio
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The proud son of a South London bus driver, politician Sadiq Khan was always a supporter of green issues. Yet it wasn’t until he was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma due to the capital’s polluted air that he became truly galvanised to clean up the city. As London Mayor, Khan was in a unique position to do something about it—only to find himself facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles at every turn. A combination of memoir, manifesto and policy playbook, his book explains how the climate change crusader overcame cynicism, apathy and cost concerns to turn London into a pioneering green city. Khan combines political diaries with personal stories—including the nine-year-old girl’s death that drives him and his minor heart attack at the Cop26 summit. He persuasively argues how hands-on eco policies can win elections, not lose them, and align with a belief in social justice. With a former lawyer’s eye for detail, it occasionally feels like a college thesis but Khan is undeniably passionate and his tireless enthusiasm is inspirational. His love of London leaps from every page and Breathe becomes a rousing call to action.
Customer Reviews
Full of lies
It’s full of lies and his own self beliefs. The man is delusional and stinging the working class people with his nonsense ULEZ scam. Do not bother with the book unless you are happy being brainwashed