I saw most of the Attenborough programme. It was powerful but hugely depressing in places. What cruelty humans are capable of meting out to the animal world, from rhinos to pangolins to anteaters, never mind what we put some domestic animals through. The sequences shot in Chinese “wet” markets were frankly revolting (I remember seeing similar casual cruelty to live animals destined for the pot when I lived in Hong Kong). The pandemic and similar health emergencies stems in great part from the way we are interacting with animals. And yet, there is hope. He ends on a positive note about how successful conservation efforts have saved the mountain gorillas, how the future can be better than the present and the past - but the answer lies with every one of us to change our consumption habits, to put pressure on reluctant politicians, to challenge naysayers wherever they may be. On that point, there is a huge amount to be done, and not just in China, Brazil and the USA but also here at home. How to do this? XR are certainly raising awareness even if one can argue over their tactics. We need to remind the government and our local council that declaring a climate emergency is all very well. Actions must follow but they are still too few and too slow. Sometimes I am quite optimistic about how much things are changing for the better but looking at the world as a whole it’s difficult to remain optimistic that enough of the human race is willing or able to make the radical changes needed. We need a lot more wildfires and hurricanes to budge Trump an inch, I fear (to quote just one example).
Jonathan Callaway ● 2025d