The whole world has a collective responsibility

As a conservationist and nature lover all of my life, the tangible effects we are seeing now have come as no surprise to me. Worried, yes, but not in the least surprised.

Over 20 years ago, starting in 1998 I think, I had the good fortune to work for Greenpeace International for three years on two of their ships. My first campaign was in raising awareness of the concerns coming from scientists and meteorologists who were, to use a biblical phrase, ‘Crying in the wilderness,’ unheard by governments and populace alike.

And so with a stick and carrot approach we harried the survey ships and drilling rigs who were looking for deep water oil fields and filmed the offshore wind farms that, with foresight, the Danish government were building. While the film coverage and media interest started populist movements which continue still today, politicians promised but didn’t deliver cuts in emissions, failed to meet targets time and again or denied the truth that was staring them in the face.

The whole world has a collective responsibility, not only to reduce CO2 emissions but to increase the take-up of this gas, planting trees and managing our coastal waters. That means you and me; that means our present and future politicians. The States has written and promoted a ‘Strategy for Nature’ which aims not only to conserve what we have but to add to it. To do this we must, absolutely, stop building on greenfield sites, however small and unproductive. We must stop dumping waste, however inert it is claimed to be, onto our precious beaches like Spur Point.

I urge voters to support those candidates who want to save what is left of our green isle and our clear blue seas.

Here is a quote to leave with you: ‘Countries are set to miss all of the targets they set themselves a decade ago to preserve nature and save Earth’s vital biodiversity’, the United Nations said last week.

JOHN LIHOU,

Rouge Rue,

GY1 1ZE.