A new book recommends turning to nuclear power and genetically modified crops to manage the planet, and suggests technology could allow for limitless economic growth.

British science writer Mark Lynas likens humans to an army that has conquered Earth, and said the first responsibility of a conquering army should be to govern the nation.

"We have to govern the planet I think in the same way mainly to save it from ourselves," Lynas added while discussing his book, The God Species: How the Planet Can Survive the Age of Humans, on Quirks & Quarks Saturday.

Mark Lynas, author of The God Species, said he doesn't think traditional environmentalism, with its emphasis on low-tech solutions, has much to offer in the current age. Courtesy Mark LynasHe calls humans "the God species" because "it was the best way I could think of to illustrate by analogy how powerful humans are in terms of our impact on the whole of the Earth's system."

As examples, he noted the human effect, via carbon emissions, on the chemistry of the atmosphere and the temperature of the planet, along with the large portion of the Earth's surface converted from natural ecosystems to human farms.

Lynas thinks humans can continue to live comfortably on the Earth as long as they respect safe limits proposed by scientists in the form of nine "boundaries," including levels of carbon dioxide and the amount of land devoted to farming.

"I don't see that there are any inherent limits to economic growth necessarily, either," he said.

While environmentalists point to limited resources, Lynas says the limits depend on the efficiency of resource use and recycling, and argues that the energy available to humans is "unlimited" due to the sun's power.

He added that if people focus on the scientist-proposed "boundaries" and assess risk scientifically, then nuclear power and genetically modified crops are reasonable solutions.

He blames the environmental movement's opposition to such technologies on cultural norms.

"You have to move with the times. I don't think traditional environmentalism has a whole lot to offer in [this day and age]," he said.

"I'm trying to step back from some of the cultural perceptions and norms that environmentalists have and just try and assess things starting from scratch again."