Environment is safe ground for politicians

Amid the noise and heat of Brexit, policing, education and health, the environment has become a political safe ground for embattled parties looking for a favourable headline.

Cutting down on the use of plastic, in particular, seems to have become the cause du jour.

The Westminster and Scottish governments both – perhaps not entirely coincidentally – made major policy announcements on the matter yesterday.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s grandiose statement that her 25-year plan will “leave the natural environment in a better state than we found it” is, obviously, unquantifiable grandstanding.

But the substance of her policies will, if delivered, make a significant difference to the UK.

Likewise, Scotland’s banning of plastic-stemmed cotton buds is a small step towards a greater good.

Should such actions be followed on a global scale, perhaps real progress on cleaning the planet can be made. Some have balked at the notion of banning products. The best solution to any ongoing problem is to educate members of the public on the merits of changing their behaviour.

But sometimes a ban becomes necessary to deliver a sharp message.

Time will tell if it will be heeded.