We need Governments to build a social consensus to tackle the environmental crises – by John Box CEcol CEnv FCIEEM

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What should CIEEM do to persuade the Governments of the UK and the Republic of Ireland to address the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis?

CIEEM is a leading environmental institution. As ecologists and environmental managers, we must grasp the role of explaining the implications of the interlinked climate emergency and biodiversity crisis to those around us.

George Monbiot wrote a challenging piece about the inter-related climate emergency and biodiversity crisis for The Guardian in late August. Love him or loathe him, George Monbiot makes a telling point:

We face the greatest predicament humankind has confronted: the erosion and possible collapse of our life-support systems. Its speed and scale have taken even scientists by surprise. The potential impacts are greater than any recent pandemic, or any war we have suffered. Yet the effort to persuade people of the need for action has been left almost entirely to either the private or voluntary sectors. And it simply does not work.……..All we can achieve by these means is petty, incremental change……Mass mobilisation behind a common good needs to be led by government…. But governments sit and watch as we tiny warriors flail in the face of the corporate army. We cannot build social consensus without the state…..

Signposting the future: solar photovoltaic panels on CIEEM’s new office building that also has no gas. Photocredit: James Cleary.

We may feel that we are indeed ‘tiny warriors’ in the battles about these environmental crises and that we need help from CIEEM as our professional institute. Our Strategic Plan has a strategic goal of achieving Action 2030 with CIEEM as the champion of action to address the interlinked environmental crises. However, building a social consensus requires the state to participate actively if we are to gain the benefits of a low carbon world.

What further actions should CIEEM take to persuade the Governments of the UK and the Republic of Ireland to build a social consensus now?

Information about the author

John Box is a CIEEM Fellow and was President from 2012-2015. John chairs the Action 2030 working group which provides challenge and advice to CIEEM on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.

Contact John at john.box@knowlebox.co.uk