Published on 6 August 2024
Blog post by: Ruth Gripper, RENEW Impact Manager
As you’ve probably guessed, given that I’m writing this blog rather than learning my way around the Palace of Westminster, I was unsuccessful – this time, anyway! I’m still processing the experience, but here are a few immediate reflections on the extent to which the nature crisis featured in the campaign.
DISCLAIMER: The following blog is my personal opinion and not the views of the RENEW project.
Above: 2024 has seen record numbers take to the streets to demand immediate change for nature. Image credit: Mika Baumeister, Unsplash
Alongside an overwhelming appetite for change, the most consistent theme I heard whilst speaking to people door-to-door was a sense of disillusionment. People were tired and disenchanted with politics. Lots of people I spoke to were not planning to vote at all. “What’s the point?” they would ask. “They’re all the same, they all break their promises.”
Above: Ruth speaking at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust Nature & Climate Hustings. Image credit: Cornwall Wildlife Trust
The NHS and the cost of living consistently top polls of the most important issues among all voter groups. After that, there are significant political and generational divides, with the environment as a much more important issue among younger voters.
With the Conservative party having tried to make net zero a wedge issue, Labour having rowed back on their flagship climate pledge, and a prevailing sense among the country that everything is broken, the environment didn’t get much of a look-in in the national campaigns – apart from Ed Davey’s stunts drawing attention to the sewage crisis (before you ask, my campaign was sadly stunt-free). Of course for many people, this election was about one thing: getting a change of government, not worrying about specific policy details.
While the climate and environment rarely came up during doorstep discussions, restoring nature was a topic I received lots of emails about – beaten in volume only by the number of emails I received about animal protection.
Of the four hustings held locally two focused on climate and environment whilst a third, organised by the National Farming Union, included discussions of food security, environmental issues and challenges. The audience at each husting was engaged, informed, and asked many great questions.
Credit in particular to Cornwall Wildlife Trust for engaging constructively with candidates from all political parties ahead of the election by inviting us on visits to discuss the nature crisis and hear about their work with local farmers, they also organised one of the above hustings. This was a first for them and something which, provided a forum for proper discussion of environmental issues. Local craftivists also presented each of us candidates with a handmade gift at the event, reaching out through an act of kindness to show how much people care about nature and the environment.
Above: Craftivist activities, ‘Reaching out through an act of kindness, to show how much people care about nature and the environment.’
Candidates get inundated with emails during a general election campaign. It may be the time when the public is paying the most attention to politics – but it’s not the best time to try to influence policy – that’s all set long before, and besides we’re all too busy trying to survive the six weeks of mayhem that is the general election campaign. Luckily, politics doesn’t begin or end with the election. There’s no better time than the present to reach out to your local MP and let them know why biodiversity matters – and what you want them to do about it.
