The UN has decided mankind can survive but, in order to do so, must take urgent action to defuse the climate time-bomb.

A ‘report of reports’ (yes, another one) says our destiny depends upon all countries taking immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the disastrous

conditions we’ve already created.

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, travelled to the beautiful Swiss town of Interlaken to deliver his last ditch call for action and plans to celebrate the 46 countries, which make up the G20, agreeing to cut emissions in half by 2030 with two weeks in Dubai this December.

The Portuguese politician might as well have saved his breath for all the good it will do and should cancel his flight to the UAE right now.

The sad fact is nothing can now avert the headlong human train from hurtling to extinction, the only question remaining is how long it will take?

I have a friend, he was an ex-colleague who transferred from a life in the military to become a journalist, who was the most committed and serious campaigner for the environment I ever encountered.

But this zealous eco warrior has handed in his badge and given up evangelising to save the planet as, sadly, he’s concluded we’ve reached a point of no return.

'If my ex-eco warrior friend is right the world will take about another 100 years to implode...'

His hypothesis is humankind’s inherent greed must ultimately lead to its self-destruction and it is already too late to do anything about it. Having listened to his hypothesis I tentatively

asked how long he felt we’d got?

He didn’t reply directly but said that while he didn’t feel it necessary to teach his son hand-to-hand combat survival techniques, his son would almost certainly be required to equip his grandson to protect himself in an almost Mad Max-style environment.

Pushed to expand he explained in much better, and more, words how experience had shown him mans’ greed will never be satisfied and this need to constantly have more will destroy us all.

He then told me he was off to India to work with his charity and to visit several beautiful parts of the country before they are destroyed and lost forever.

He has, like me, enjoyed all the trappings of an indulgent and privileged Western upbringing so accepts he is in no position to deny the millions of other people around the world who are now seeking the same ‘riches’.

Of course, it will be low-income, marginalised communities which will suffer the greatest, and earliest, impact of the damage we’re inflicting upon our planet.

I’m sure the talking shop will continue and I’m even more convinced financial gain will remain the single most important thing for humans as we will continue to destroy ourselves.

If my ex-eco warrior friend, now finding himself in Asia, is right it’ll take about another 100 years to implode – in the meantime, have a great week!