| the last year, two key concepts have reigned | | | | on the environmentalist performance of the |
| over all others: the economy and the | | | | leading contenders. |
| environment. Like opposing forces they push and | | | | But the difficulty now is that an election will also |
| pull at one another, with economic downturns | | | | be won or lost on economic performance |
| running counter to calls for increased spending on | | | | because times are so tough. And the fear for |
| the environment, including renewable energy | | | | environmentalists is that the current economic |
| development and sustainability initiatives. And both | | | | recession could spell a temporary sway in interest |
| problems are escalating, with the world's media | | | | on the green issue; after gathering so much |
| reporting daily on the growing effects of climate | | | | momentum, it could once again - though it might |
| change and the depression of the credit crunch. | | | | only be relatively short term - find itself on the |
| They are two all consuming and ever present | | | | fringes of the political agenda, because it has |
| problems; the environment because it represents | | | | always been seen by the general public as an |
| the umbrella under which all human endeavour | | | | important and worthwhile discussion, but an |
| must operate - and indeed has originated from - | | | | essentially less pressing issue when viewed in |
| and the economy because it is the system that | | | | combination with those problems with more |
| we have chosen to dictate and moderate human | | | | immediate effects. And those, namely, are |
| endeavour, so that economics is the world's | | | | economic issues. |
| universal language, even if there are a few | | | | Certainly, the general view of environmental |
| different dialects. | | | | issues has changed for the better, and to some |
| Like the great science and religion debates of the | | | | extent irrevocably. But an economic recession will |
| renaissance and enlightenment periods, the | | | | almost definitely spell a decline, not in |
| argument is certainly becoming polar; either one is | | | | environmental discussion, but environmental action, |
| an environmentalist or an economist; one is either | | | | because governments work in terms and not in |
| for the environment and against economic growth | | | | decades; long term issues like the implementation |
| - because our current paradigm links wealth to | | | | of renewable energy, Kyoto protocol targets, or |
| fossil fuels - or against environmentalism and for | | | | the switch to organic crop growth, will almost |
| economic growth, because the credit crunch and | | | | always fall foul of economic issues, which are |
| the recession mean that money must be spent | | | | often predicted in the long term but realised in the |
| on trigger problems like housing, poverty, and | | | | short term, and felt by almost everyone. |
| world debt. | | | | That is not to say that the environmental issue is |
| Can two such massive problems be reconciled? | | | | a less important issue than the economic one. But |
| And can both be tackled, or must one be solved | | | | the key now for environmentalists is to hold the |
| at the expense of the other? This is the | | | | ground that they have gained over the last 10 |
| contemporary political question. The | | | | years, and to show just why global warming, CO2 |
| environmentalist movement, in many respects a | | | | emissions and climate change are still the most |
| minority movement in previous decades, has - | | | | threatening problems on the planet, even if they |
| through a combination of committed activists and | | | | are perhaps not the most pressing. And, despite |
| genuine causes - come, as it should be, to the | | | | the economic downturn, they must press, so that |
| forefront of politics. Indeed major political parties | | | | those issues becomes pressing. That way the |
| across the world have recognised the severity of | | | | environmental problem does not return to its |
| the issue and have made it central to their policy | | | | former position as a sideline issue. |
| and political spin. Many believe that the next round | | | | Indeed, it is a difficult task. But a necessary one. |
| of the world's elections will be won or lost in part | | | | |