Blogs and Briefings
Why is Boris so quiet on environment strategy?
Connect Director Emily Wallace writes on the undercover publication of the Mayor’s environment policies
10 November 2011
You will have been forgiven for missing the publication the other week of three critical strategic documents for London. The Water Strategy, Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Energy Strategy. All weighty important and serious documents. Forgiven because the press release issued by the Mayor all but forgot to mention them ...
The strategies are worth reading. They have been developed over the last five years, are based on commissioned evidence based research, the product of meaningful industry and stakeholder consultation and have no doubt absorbed much time, effort and resources of industry leaders, and officers alike. Indeed, some of the work being done in London around climate change adaptation is internationally acclaimed.
When there is so much in politics which is of little substance, repeated and recycled, why is it that the Mayor chose to publish these with no publicity or fanfare. Does he think that people don’t care about energy, water management, and the future London environment, or just that it won’t score him any electoral points? If he does, I think he might be ill advised.
For someone that is often criticised as being a “buffoon” and “comedian” rather than a serious politician, I would politely suggest that there might be real benefit in maximising publicity around these serious policy documents which deal with issues that will affect us all.
