The environment has been shut out of this election. Economic growth has provided the world with abundant food, medicine, energy and raw materials. However, unmanaged it is destroying the ecosystem, wiping out fauna, flora, forests and seas. An ecological meltdown will cause economic ruin and political turmoil, and threaten the very existence of human civilisation. Air pollution causes 40,000 premature deaths in the UK each year. With greenhouse gases and habitat depletion, together, they are having a catastrophic effect on our environment, contributing to global climate change, wildlife, crop and forest damage, rising sea levels, floods and haze. Whole countries could drown under water or starve under drought, driving migration and climate wars.
The path to a sustainable future requires the creative power of our best scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, backed by the courage of politicians to think long term. Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris accord is an act of environmental vandalism on a global scale. And by refusing to condemn him, Theresa May is aiding and abetting him. Only the Lib Dems combine the ambition to bring forward climate change targets and support for the Paris agreement with an entrepreneurial approach to investing in cutting-edge clean technologies, and commitment to international institutions to enable Britain to be a world leader in protecting the global environment. Britain has been part of the cause. By supporting the Lib Dems on 8 June, Britain can also be part of the solution.
James Cameron Chairman, Green Running and ETIndex
Mark Petterson Director and co-founder, Warwick Energy
Mark Campanale Executive director and founder, Carbon Tracker Initiative
Andrew Warren Chairman, Federation of Open Homes Network
Adam Knight Co-founder, Social and Sustainable Capital
Simon Blakey Managing director, SAB Global Energy
Dr Mark Hinnells Solutions director, Susenco Ltd
Vickram Mirchandani Managing director, Coronation Power
Simon Clement-Davies Managing director, Augusta Ltd Energy Corporate Finance
Paul Hennemeyer Managing director, GE Capital
Patrick Sheehan Managing partner, ETF Partners
Ray Georgeson Director, RGR-Ray Georgeson Resources Ltd
Jane Vaus Project director, Sustainability Hub
Heather Stevens Chair, The Waterloo Foundation
Duncan Brack Independent environment policy analyst
Hylton Murray Philipson Founder, Wingate Ventures
Dr Susan Juned Senior consultant for Greenwatt Technology
Christopher Clement-Davies Editor, International Energy Law Review
Andrew Wiseman Former chair, UK Environmental Law Association
James McNaught-Davis Green venture capitalist, Wetherby Capital
Richard Lill Financing and construction manager, Energiekontor UK Ltd
Jason Cooper Director and founder of environmental architects Jason Cooper Architects
• Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens are each too tribal to form a progressive alliance, but we voters can help. I modestly offer you Hugh’s rules:
1 If the seat was won by one of the above parties in 2015, vote for the incumbent.
2 If the seat was won by a Tory, vote for the party that came second in 2015.
And don’t worry about Jeremy Corbyn. He could only lead a coalition that, as in other countries, will mitigate any extremes. And Keir Starmer will lead the Brexit negotiating team.
Hugh Burkhardt
Nottingham
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