Two thirds of Britons want action now to save planet
FOR the first time in our long history the Daily Express Crusader today appears in green rather than red. A bold move to highlight our campaign to make Britain lead the world in becoming environmentally-friendly.
We want to involve you, the reader, in helping to reduce pollution and to protect nature. There is a new mood in the nation. Britons are worried about the loss of wildlife and the threat posed by climate change, not just for them but for their children and grandchildren.
It is no coincidence that the devastating pandemic is thought to have been triggered by exposure to wildlife traded in a Chinese food market.
But Covid has given us a new world – where air pollution is down, working from home is possible for millions, commuting is unnecessary and appreciation of green spaces and nature is at an all-time high. But we never want to go back to our old ways.
We need to build a cleaner, greener Britain, that works as much as possible with nature instead of seeing it as a resource to be plundered.
As Boris Johnson says: “We in the UK are determined not only to build back better from Covid but build back greener.”
The Prime Minister has a unique chance to lead the world and bequeath a better Britain to future generations.
In June he hosts the G7 summit of industrialised nations in Cornwall and in November the delayed global climate change conference, COP26, in Glasgow.
We want tax incentives for doing the right thing and disincentives for doing the wrong thing. Big business will invest in the environment only if it will make more money
from protecting it than from trashing it. We must create the right conditions for the wealthy to invest in the future of the planet.
We also want to make more space for nature. The PM made a good start in September when he called for 30 per cent of the UK to be safeguarded for nature. It is a tall order. Only ten per cent of land is protected for nature – and much of that is in a poor condition. But wetlands and woodlands help reduce flooding, absorb carbon and provide a home for dwindling species. Britain cannot win this fight on its own. A global effort is required. We may be a small country, but we have clout.
Every individual can play a part as well. If one person’s actions are replicated by millions, individuals can make an impact.
Recycling plastic, walking, cycling or taking public transport when possible can make a difference. We can help shape the world by the way we spend our money – buying greener vehicles and energy, local and seasonal food, insulating our homes – the list is endless. Changing our mindset is vital. We rely heavily on nature for basics we take for granted – pollination of our crops, security of our water supply, our clean air and our climate.
Yet for far too many centuries we have seen the planet as a limitless resource for our convenience, not realising we are as much a part of nature as are the birds and bees.
We destroy it at our peril.
Over the coming months, the Daily Express will highlight the problems and point to solutions. It will not always be easy: but we need our environment to be healthy so that we – and future generations – can live healthy lives too.
Tell us how you are going green and why – email expressnews@reachplc.com