24th September 2007

Photo: Philip Booth at Staverton airport

Roger Smith’s letter “Airport Protests Are Hypocritical” raises an interesting point. Many climate change campaigners do indeed refuse to fly especially for holidays, others like Jonathan Porritt, who recently came in for criticism over his flights, do so to campaign.

However this issue is in my view a distraction - what we really need to focus on is that Government still hasn't grasped the urgency or the need for radical changes. Of course people need to take responsibility - individual actions to tackle climate change are important but will never go far enough.

As Green campaigners, many of us constantly risk accusations of being hypocrites. Yet life is full of grey areas and being pure and virtuous is never as easy, nor perhaps even as desirable, as it might appear. It seems that if you can smear the person, then you can also undermine the message and discourage others from standing up to be counted. Indeed every time a 'green hero' is shot down, we can all feel that little bit more cynical about our politicians and leaders. Meanwhile greenhouse gas emissions continue to soar.

Scientists have said we only have a few years in which to act. We need to cut greenhouse gases. That means getting our local and national politicians to act: if we can't stop the proposed increased emissions at our local Staverton Airport then we have to ask whether we really are serious about preventing catastrophic climate change?

Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Green Party.