Environmental politics

Press, 13 May 1981, Page 20

Environmental politics

Sir,—Friends of the Earth in Britain is 10 years old. The magazine “New Scientist” of April 30 draws some conclusions. Despite all its propaganda successes F.O.E.’s political achievements have been minimal. Why? Because F.O.E. believed in the fairness of the

political system and trusted Ministers and public servants, notwithstanding the number of times it was deceived by them, uUnlike more worldlywise environmentalists such as Greenpeace, who with their ship Rainbow Warrior forced the Government to halt its slaughter of seals. Left to F.O.E. the seals would have perished while staff sought Ministers to persuade. Political naivety is not confined to British environmentalism. New Zealand has long enjoyed its “Fabian of the Forests,” who have saved the consciences of government and bureaucracy down the years as they combined to sack our natural heritage. Only at the eleventh hour, born of desperation, did a new and more determined organisation, the “tree-sitters,” arise.— Yours, etc.,

ERIC BENNETT. May 10, 1981.