The Guardian’s “green squeeze”

Following Sunday’s post the Guardian has launched a comment series on “the green squeeze”. In motivating the series it asks: “Will the credit crunch usher in a green backlash, as people abandon environmentalism in favour of what they consider more pressing economic concerns, and how should the green movement respond? Throughout the week, leading thinkers assess the lessons of history and the changing tactics necessary to deliver their agenda during a recession.”

My answers are (a) no, people will not abandon environmentalism (b) it is a pity. Environmentalism represents an outlook that favours austerity so is well suited to a period of economic restraint.