Erik Orsena believes that wirters should become engaged in the struggle against global warming

Asked by Philippe Delaroche about the role of writers facing global warming, the French author Erik Orsenna considers that they have "More than a role, a duty, in so far as a writer's purpose is to create better understanding of both humans and the world they live in. Writers have more time, are more general in their approach. Specialists belong to the category of people who don't have time. Writers have what is termed 'general culture'. They are preoccupied with the Earth they live on. If not, they aren't very honest and are passing on an insufferable Earth to their children. Part of their mission is to involve themselves with the planet. It is up to them to spread and develop knowledge: 'the job of living' as Cesare Pavese put it, is also 'the job of the Earth'. My heart is set on understanding the human species, on knowing what the Earth is and how to stop it from becoming unbearable. ... Writing in an ivory tower is not my way of life."

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