Environmental politics

Press, 26 October 1982, Page 24

Environmental politics

Sir,—Disillusioned with lack of Governmental response in the 10 years since Stockholm, the United Nations Environmental Programme (U.N.E.P.) organised in London recently an "international public hearing" with the theme "action or disaster," in the hope of arousing ordinary people to put pressure on their politicians. In West Germany environmentalists have now become a force to be reckoned with and their party, the Greens, could hold the balance of power after the next Federal elections. Pledged to change fundamentally the “sterile parliament of incompetent, elitist old-age pensioners," the Greens reject a growth based on large-scale technology with all its noise, pollution and degradation of the environment. They would build a future founded on "ecological conservatism,” a neutrality totally opposed to nuclear bases, and women’s rights. The Greens provide a positive response to U.N.E.P. and their achievement gives encouragement to many in other countries who also believe that the alternative to action is disaster.—Yours, etc., ERIC BENNETT. October 18, 1982.