Are Fixed-Term Parliaments a Problem for the Environment?

The fact that UK parliament terms are legally obliged to run for a maximum of five years could be discouraging politicians from taking meaningful action against climate change and other environmental concerns, according to Sir David Attenborough. Prioritising short-term gains and political point-scoring over long-term caretaking of the planet could endanger the world we live in, he said.

The BBC presenter and long-serving advocate of sustainability made the statement at the first citizens’ assembly on climate at the end of January. The meeting was the first in a series of four such conferences taking place over consecutive weekends and aims to allow ordinary citizens of Britain the opportunity to inform themselves on the facts surrounding greenhouse gas emissions and submit recommendations on how national targets can be achieved.

Short-termism scuppering sustainability

Environmental issues are dominating mainstream media headlines like never before. Some commentators have labelled climate change the single biggest challenge facing humanity today, while even countries like India, which have not prioritised such topics in the past, have intensified their focus on environmental monitoring in recent years.

The UK has traditionally been one of the frontrunners when it comes to environmental awareness, but the incumbent Conservative government has been repeatedly criticised for its lethargy on implementing concrete plans to target carbon emissions, air pollution and other environmental concerns. According to Attenborough, this might be a symptom of the system itself, rather than the party which currently finds itself in power.

“It is very difficult to persuade politicians that they should give money and time and attention and worry about an issue which is not going to come to a climax - and people won't know if it is successful or not successful - for 10 years hence, 15 years hence,” he remarked to the 110 members of the first ever citizens’ assembly.

Giving the people a voice

The idea of the citizens’ assembly was supported by six parliamentary committees, which donated a cumulative £120,000 to fund the £520,000 project. The remaining capital was supplied by two philanthropic foundations. Members of the assembly were carefully chosen from over 1,800 applicants, who responded to more than 30,000 invitations sent out to addresses all across the UK.

The objective of the assembly is to gather a diverse group of people who are representative of the British population in every aspect. This means the assembly is truly a cross-section of society, including attendees of all ages, ethnicities, geographical backgrounds and, most importantly of all, opinions. Among the 110 attendees, 54 were very concerned about climate change, 36 moderately concerned, 16 not that concerned and three not concerned at all, while one had no strong opinion on the matter.

Together, they will review the data on climate change, including analysis of greenhouse gas emissions trends across the EU, to try and learn which schemes and measures are most effective in curbing the global carbon footprint. In April, the assembly will submit its findings in the shape of a government report, which is hoped will help our elected officials to reach their targets of becoming completely carbon neutral by 2050.