Category Archives: George Monbiot

Sheepwrecked or a World Heritage Site? Thoughts on the Lake District

As the inevitability of President Theresa May being crowned on June the 9th seems without doubt now, we are hurtling, possibly out of control towards the exit, or rather the hard Brexit. This means the UK tumbles out of the … Continue reading

Posted in Common Agricultural Policy, farm subsidies, farming, George Monbiot, Lake District, Uncategorized | 27 Comments

Select Committee takes floods evidence from George Monbiot, bars Richard AE North for “offensive remarks”

I had been looking forward to watching (and you can now on Parliament tv) the Envronmental Audit Committee evidence session for the Floods inquiry, in which George Monbiot was called, alongside Richard AE North, former Environmental Health Officer and now … Continue reading

Posted in Environmental Audit Select Committee, flooding, George Monbiot, RIchard AE North | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

Oliver Letwin reveals enthusiasm for natural flood management

Oliver Letwin is our local MP here in West Dorset. I’ve met him a few times, to talk about different environmental issues. He’s friendly, fiercely intelligent; and loves a good argument. I don’t agree with his politics at all, but … Continue reading

Posted in flooding, George Monbiot, Oliver Letwin | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The Answer Lies in the Soil

As Arthur Fallowfield, the farmer character in the legendary Radio 4 comedy series’ Beyond our Ken and Round the Horne, would have said, “The arnswer loies in the soil”. I read with interest and increasing disbelief, an article by George … Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, carbon storage, George Monbiot, grasslands, grazing, uplands | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Natural Capital debate: Helm rebutts Monbiot, misses target

As today’s opening of The World Forum on Natural Capital runs into a spot of bother over the antics of some of the Corporations who are promoting it, last week saw a scintillating debate about Natural Capital, between two crusty … Continue reading

Posted in Dieter Helm, George Monbiot, Natural Capital | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Owen Paterson embraces Re-wilding.

Thanks to Phil Brewin (@waterlevels) for the photo of flooding on the Somerset Levels. It was only a couple of months ago, that Owen Paterson gave his most significant speech since he became Environment Secretary, to the Tory’s favourite Think … Continue reading

Posted in badgers, flooding, Forestry, George Monbiot, Owen Paterson, rewilding, uplands | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Revealed: who pays for the corporate lobbyist Think Tanks?

A little while ago (back in August) I asked readers of this blog to write to Chloe Smith MP, who at the time was guiding the Lobbying Bill through the House of Commons. This Bill was going to curtail all … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Sells, Astroturfing, Charities campaigning, Charities Commission, corporate lobbying, George Monbiot, Policy Exchange, Think Tanks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seeing the wood for the Trees

  Natural England chair designate Andrew Sell’s wood I’ve written a fair bit over the past 3 years about Think Tanks. Are they a force for good? Most Think Tanks are on the right of the political spectrum – in … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Sells, Charities campaigning, George Monbiot, neoliberalism, Policy Exchange, Think Tanks | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A State of Mind

Today is an important anniversary for me. It’s a year to the day since I went to my GP and he diagnosed me with anxiety and depression. I had known there was something wrong for a long time but had … Continue reading

Posted in conservation, ethics, George Monbiot, spiritual value | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Conservation and Re-wilding: the film

The Linnean Society filmed the debate I had with George Monbiot in November, discussing the pros and cons of Re-wilding and Conservation. The film, which was professionally made and edited, is now available to watch here . I haven’t seen … Continue reading

Posted in conservation, ethics, George Monbiot, landscape dynamics, Linnean Society, rewilding, self-willed land | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments