So begins a timely report from this classy American magazine. Here in Australia we are constantly bombarded by Green scepticism dressed up as reasoned debate. This anti-Green hysteria is defeated by mountains of fact but the self-appointed conservative commentators create a left-wing conspiracy and routinely dismiss the evidence. Much easier to laugh at environmental damage than actually examine the facts.
As Mother Jones discovers, the political and financial affiliations of these sceptics should always be considered and investigated. Besides, ever wondered why virtually all Green-sceptics hang onto every word of the genre’s master, Bjorn Lomborg? Professor Ian Lowe, emeritus professor of science, technology and society at Griffith University, explains the true reasons behind his following:
“Propaganda units like the Institute of Public Affairs fund the travel of people like Lomborg to muddy the water and obscure the harsh reality that we are not using our natural resources sustainably. The facts show that we desperately need a new approach. Trusting business and the magic of markets has caused the problem; it cannot solve it, even in principle.”
UPDATE: The UK Independent provided a useful summary yesterday of why the environment should feature prominently in the current election campaign and beyond. We should take note:
10 of the hottest years in the world on record have occurred since 1990
3.5C predicted rise in average UK temperature by 2080. For every one degree rise, Spring advances six days
1.5 per cent rise in UK carbon dioxide emissions in 2004
In its 2001 manifesto, Labour reaffirmed its pledge to cut greenhouse emissions by 20 per cent from 1990 levels, by 2010. They are currently 12.6 per cent lower than in 1990
8.6 months is the estimated reduction in lifespan of average European due to pollution
434,000,000 tons of waste is produced in Britain each year – enough to fill the Albert Hall every two hours
50cm average distance between pieces of litter on UK beaches. Levels of rubbish on beaches have increased 82 per cent in a decade
Rubbish is dumped illegally in UK every 35 secs
22m tons of rubbish from British homes sent to landfill sites every year
10 species of wild flower are believed to be disappearing from each county in Britain each decade
21 native flowering plants have disappeared from Britain in the past 150 years
50 per cent fall in the population of birds living in agricultural fields since 1970 (with tree sparrows down by 87 per cent )
95 per cent of our important, wildlife-rich lowland peat bogs have been destroyed in the past half century
97 per cent of our flower-rich lowland grasslands have disappeared since 1930
17 per cent of household waste was recycled last year. The target is 35 per cent by 2015
19 per cent of municipal waste recycled last year
50 per cent of household and municipal waste is recycled in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands
97m passengers flew between the UK and the rest of Europe in 2003 – almost double the 51m in 1993
32.26m vehicles were on Britain’s roads last year, a rise of 3.2 per cent on 2003
100 tons of CO2 will be released by each of the main party’s helicopters during the campaign, say the Greens