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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Elly Blake

Joanna Lumley wants ‘wartime’ rationing to help ease climate crisis

Joanna Lumley has called for a return to “wartime rationing” in a bid to reduce consumption and counter the effects of climate change.

The Absolutely Fabulous actor suggested the introduction of a “voucher system” of food, goods and services to help people cut down.

She said: "These are tough times, and I think there’s got to be legislation.

“That was how the war was – stuff was rationed – and at some stage I think we might have to go back to some kind of system of rationing, where you’re given a certain number of points and it’s up to you how to spend them, whether it’s buying a bottle of whisky or flying in an aeroplane.”

Ms Lumley, who has campaigned against single-use plastic, wants to see the changes in a bid to reduce the amount of waste produced by the public. She also said people should cut back on going on holiday and eating meat.

She called on people to "think a bit harder" about their consumption, adding: “Maybe more of our holidays should be at home or taking trains, and not hopping on a plane to Magaluf for the weekend.

Every plastic bottle you don’t buy, every piece of litter you pick up, every piece of meat you don’t eat, every small thing counts.”

Her comments come with days until the COP26 climate conference when world leaders will meet to discuss solutions to the climate crisis.

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