Mayer Hillman was born in northwest London in 1931, the third son of David Hillman, a portrait painter and stained glass artist, and Dr Annie Hillman, a general practice physician. He and his brothers were raised in West Hampstead, by their Scottish Jewish parents, and in Rickmansworth during the WWII bombing raids. He studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London and practiced as an architect for several years, before seeking a change in direction. He completed a PhD on transport, planning and environmental issues in 1970 at the University of Edinburgh, without a scholarship and supporting a young family with his wife Heidi Krott.
Career
Established at the PSI, a policy thinktank, Hillman became eclectic contributor to debates on transport, the environment and health. Several of his contrarian arguments and studies have been proven accurate with the passage of time. For example, he co-authored a 1990 study, One False Move, which equated the reduction in child casualties on British roads in recent decades with the loss of freedom that they have experienced because of the increase in traffic, with repercussions for child health. Several of his innovations, like raised-level intersections to slow traffic, have later been adopted in policy and planning. He believes public policy should be more socially and environmentally conscious, and has been an animated speaker on a variety of topics, in his later years completing two books and promoting action on climate change. A strong proponent of personal carbon trading, he specifically helped develop the concept of personal carbon allowances. Hillman has been a lifelong cyclist, arguing against compulsory helmetlaws in 1992, and in favour of cycling's health promotion possibilities in a British Medical Association report in 1992. Hillman has not flown for more than 20 years as part of his commitment to reducing carbon emissions. But he is now scornful of individual action which he describes as "as good as futile", rhetorically asking "can you see everyone in a democracy volunteering to give up flying? Can you see the majority of the population becoming vegan? Can you see the majority agreeing to restrict the size of their families?" He believes that, "Even if the world went zero-carbon today that would not save us because we've gone past the point of no return." He announced his withdrawal from speaking and writing on climate change and other topics in late 2017, with these statements.
Personal life
He married Heidi Krott in 1964, and they have two sons, Josh and Saul.
Works
Hillman, M, T. Fawcett and S.C. Rajan. 2007. The Suicidal Planet: How to Prevent Global Climate Catastrophe. St. Martin’s Press.
Hillman, M. and T. Fawcett. 2004. How We Can Save the Planet, Penguin.
Hillman M., J. Adams and J. Whitelegg. 1990. '. Policy Studies Institute,
Hillman, M. 1993. '. Policy Studies Institute.
Ekins P, M. Hillman and R. Hutchison. 1992. The Gaia Atlas of Green Economics. Anchor Books.
A festschrift volume was published on his 70th birthday in 2001. Hutchison R.. 2001. . London: PSI. Authors look backward from his 90th birthday in 2021, testing his earlier predictions and innovations.
