Over the years I have read about, and in some cases contacted, many organisations about their work on the environment. All of them are doing great work and usually against major challenges. But it struck me that if we summed up all of their efforts, would the UK achieve its environmental goals, and would it be in time?
The landscape has changed over the last couple of centuries as we have increased food production for a growing population which has pushed many species into near extinction. The increase in population has required housing which has added to lack of space for nature. All of this has brought the UK to the point where it is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. A similar picture can be drawn from over fishing around our shores. Added to this, we are leaving a trail of pollution behind us whether it is plastic in the oceans, overfilling landfills or sewage in our rivers. And with the increasing use of coal, oil and gas over the last one hundred years we have been pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which is starting to bite us back with severe weather changes. Within these major environmental problems there are the on going social, political and economic problems as well as the wider issues such as trading with other countries and our security in an increasingly volatile world.
In the UK there are many groups tackling some of these problems: government departments at the local and national levels, supermarkets, unions, voluntary organisations, MPs, NGOs and individuals. For example, the Wildlife Trusts are providing a sanctuary for our remaining biodiversity and other groups have successfully re-established species such as the Roy Dennis Wildlife foundation’s re-introduction of the white-tailed eagle. Another aspect is the quality of food that we are producing and eating and its impact on our health which has been highlighted in Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy and although its recommendations have not been implemented it keeps shining a light on a major problem. Supermarkets are trying to reduce waste and packaging with mixed results. The UK government has various plans in place to transition to renewable energy with some success. For example, December 2023 was the 15th month in a row where zero-carbon generation produced more than fossil fuel generation. In other countries, governments are trying to meet The Paris Agreement such as Australia who have passed a Climate Change Act and joined 27 other nations to have legislated to its net zero targets. And there are successful global initiatives such as the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize. The list could go on.
What is missing is how all the pieces fit together and will the overall effort be enough to solve the many problems outlined above? For example, how can a transition to renewable energy reduce poverty? The Joseph Rowntree Trust has produced an excellent report We can solve poverty in the UK that includes a five-point plan. But the plan doesn’t mention the environment or how using the environmental transition could lift people out of poverty through for example new skills and jobs. A similar criticism can be pointed at The Big Issues’ Blueprint for Change which mentions the environment but gives no detail how it can be used to reduce poverty. Other issues facing the UK and the environment are missing: could the UK’s poor productivity be improved through decarbonising the current industries? Or, as geopolitics becomes more volatile, how can an integration of the UK defence and foreign policy use environmental recovery to influence other countries?
Although the date of 2050 has been set to achieve net zero emissions whatever happens before then will be ‘baked in’ and work will be needed to adapt the way that we live to meet the changes that are inevitable. We have enough technology to make a dent in some of the problems but new solutions are required, for example putting environmental friendly packaging in our supermarkets. Wider issues such as changes in behaviours are slowly working through to customers who are increasingly more aware of environmental issues. But more work is needed to turn this awareness into action so that their purchasing power changes the behaviours of the supermarkets. Now to the more difficult parts. Globally, countries have different challenges and therefore there will be different issues. However, it is not clear how fitting all of their solutions together will have an overall effect in reducing greenhouse gases and species recovery. Finally, getting everybody to agree on what actions need to be taken is proving very difficult. For example, at the global level, just witness the struggles the various COP sessions are having in getting any significant agreements.
The recovery of the environment should not be seen as another problem that is prioritised against the other problems that the UK is facing. When we do something whether as a consumer, farmer, business leader, politician etc. we should be asking “how can this recover the environment?” What is needed is a new way of looking at the problems, and pulling together so that the jigsaw pieces start to fit in enough time to save us and the environment.