Conservation & Ecology
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If people don’t like what’s being proposed, what they say is that there is something wrong with the evidence
The Olinguito; cuteness discovered in only the last few months!
table. “In rich countries, at the moment, we are starting to see the impacts in people’s pockets, having to pay more for the products that they are used to consuming on a daily basis,” said Oxfam’s Tim Gore, one of the report’s authors. Isn’t that perhaps ignoring the global economic crisis as a major contributory factor to the people’s pocket power?
Additionally, another recent scientific study Anne Glover, EU Chief Scientific Advisor
Everybody blames the evidence and nobody is honest about the fact that, in many cases, understanding the evidence is the best possible platform to make the logical extension into policy. But they don’t like it so they say ‘We need more evidence’. And, of course, scientists can always produce more evidence
118 I PC JUNE/JULY 2014 ”
claimed that; “frequent adverse weather events may threaten the future of wheat yields in Europe by 2060”, going on to state; “despite large uncertainty in climate projections, modelling predicts an increase in probability of adverse weather events, which may affect wheat production across Europe.” Sorry, but isn’t that just gobbledegook? The EU’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Anne
Glover, recently stated that facts were being twisted to fit political agenda. “What happens at the moment - whether it’s in Commission, Parliament or Council - is that, time and time again, if people don’t like what’s being proposed, what they say is that there is something wrong with the evidence. So everybody blames the evidence and nobody is honest about the fact that, in many cases, understanding the evidence is the best possible platform to make the logical extension into policy. But they don’t like it so they say ‘We need more evidence’. And, of course, scientists can always produce more evidence.” Those are strong words from someone in a position of authority within the EU, and a refreshing change from the spiel that is normally wheeled out for public consumption. Ms Glover’s observations suggest the reasons why there are believers and non-believers when it comes to climate change, i.e. facts to suit the politics as opposed to a gut feeling that change is cyclical, with very little middle ground. Closer to home, whilst the increase in birds
of prey is welcomed, there is genuine concern for our smaller birds. Perhaps the case of the collared dove is worth considering. This
attractive bird first bred in the UK in 1956 and its numbers soared to a point where it was one of the UK’s most common birds. However, since the turn of the century, their numbers have begun to decline for no apparent reason. Similarly, once common birds, such as the house sparrow and starling, have seen their numbers plummet to a point where they are on the RSPB’s red list. In the case of the house sparrow, their numbers are increasing further north; a suggestion, perhaps, that climate change, or warmer temperatures at least, is the cause. Certainly, more and more continental species are being seen along the south coast, which suggests a range shift northward. Butterflies that once bred only in the south
are now being seen as far north as Yorkshire, with some changing their egg laying and feeding preferences on the way. There is a serious proposal on the table to
utilise goats to keep invasive plant species - such as Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed - under control. As these bovines will eat almost anything, it sounds like a good plan; even more so if they are killed for the pot at the end of their useful lives! Now, please don’t get all Linda McCartney on me. After all, there’s nothing much cuter than a lamb, piglet or calf, and look what happens to them! A few issues ago, we reported on a new
build cricket ground where, during the course of excavations, Great Crested Newts were found to habit a small pond close by. Being dutiful, the club reported the find and were subsequently ordered to find an additional £25,000 to cover the cost of a purpose built newt run and protective fence. Is that conservation gone mad? To be honest, I don’t know, but some might suggest that £25K could be better spent on human requirements. I regularly catch the train from the south
coast up to our head office in Shropshire and, apart from the urban conurbations of Southampton, Basingstoke, Reading, Birmingham and Wolverhampton, the view
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