Yet
there is otherwise little press interest.
Referring
to letters
from an umbrella campaign backed by organisations that
include the RSPB and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the paper
describes the attack as a significant embarrassment for David Cameron who
claimed at the last election that his would be the "greenest government
ever".
Given
the range of upfront economic issues reported elsewhere today which contribute
to a burgeoning austerity, it is unsurprising that concerns exist as to whether
Whitehall sees the green agenda as relevant or affordable in the wider context.
The
battle facing the environmental establishment, who have arguably experienced
comparatively lesser budget reductions and redundancies, is to persuade politicians
that this is something more than a middle-class obsession.
2 Comments:
No, they need to do the exact opposite.
It is always the poorest who suffer from environmental degradation, whether it is the working class residents of Port Talbot who have to put up with the emissions from the local industry (would this ever be allowed in middle class Surrey?) or the poorest people in sub-Saharan Africa who are suffering most from man made climate change.
The wealthier and the middle classes are able to shield themselves from the effects of environmental degradation by living in less polluted areas (and still moaning if a windmill spoils the view from their holiday home) or by being able to afford the premium for organic food.
Politicians care far more about the interests of the middle classes than they do about the poor, that is why they have calculated that they can allow environmental matters to deteriorate as it is only the poor (less likely to vote and in safe seats anyway) who will lose out.
If the 'environmental establishment' (whatever that is) want the government to take it seriously they need to convince that that middle class voters will change their votes based on environmental issues.
Don't see much of a contradiction. My problem is distinguishing between green lobby and green welly contingents.
Post a Comment