Author Archives: Joe Dodd

The climate and ecological emergency have had to compete with concerns about immigration, the Brexit negotiations and public spending on the NHS and schools.

The desire to stop a damaging Brexit has even led staunch environmentalist Liberal Democrats to take their eye off the political ball. Just when climate change and the environment had finally risen up the political agenda in the UK and beyond, the coronavirus outbreak has forced it back down the list of government priorities.

The cost of the response measures and the subsequent economic fallout may undermine the commitment of many governments around the world to the reduction of carbon emissions and the restoration of ecosystems. Some people have already raised questions over whether we can still afford the fight against climate change with the economy on its knees.

Meanwhile, as air quality in normally polluted cities improves and the number of flights fall to an all-time low, goats have been seen running through the streets of Llandudno and deer are roaming Essex housing estates. Environmentalists are quietly cheering and nature lovers are cherishing government mandated walks in the spring sunshine. Even if the lockdown has shed light on how human activity pollutes the air and harms animals, the current lockdown is as economically unsustainable as our economy is environmentally unsustainable.