Here is the letter that was featured on the front page of today's Observer...
Dear sir,
The environmental movement has spoken out repeatedly against policies that put short term profit ahead of our countryside and wildlife, eroding our natural capital and quality of life.
But rarely have we been as incredulous as we were on Tuesday, upon hearing the Autumn Budget Statement. The stunning disregard shown for the value of the natural environment not only flies in the face of popular opinion but goes against everything the Government said in June when it launched two major pieces of environmental policy – the Natural Environment White Paper and the England Biodiversity Strategy.
It is increasingly clear that society needs a new economic model that accounts properly for our natural capital. Yet with this Statement, its "red tape challenge", sudden cuts to solar subsidies, and its ill-conceived planning reforms, the Government is continuing an out-of-date approach that casts regulation and the environment as enemies to growth.
Is the environment really an obstacle to economic productivity or is it in fact the very basis of it, as well as of our national well-being? Not a hard question to answer and there is an increasingly powerful body of evidence that demonstrates this, including the Government's own National Ecosystem Assessment.
How can the Prime Minister tolerate this gaping intellectual and political inconsistency, and walk with open eyes down a policy path that condemns future generations to a lower quality of life and to a massive and costly struggle to rebuild the country's natural riches?
We appeal to you Mr Cameron to show leadership and champion long-term, sustainable economic policies that will bring much-needed prosperity without destroying all that millions hold dear.
Mike Clarke, RSPB, chief executive
Shaun Spiers, CPRE, chief executive
John Sauven, Greenpeace, executive director
Stephanie Hilborne, Wildlife Trusts, chief executive
Andy Atkins, Friends of the Earth, executive director
I remain optimistic. The commentary today was mixed, as expected. But we have seen signs of some within the Cabinet want to push harder. Tension and different opinions is what fuels good debate. There is a progressive agenda (UKNEA, landscape scale conservation, natural capital accounting, carbon floor price, green investment bank etc) waiting to burst out of this government. We need to help make this come together in a coherent fashion.
What those five people fail to understand I think that to get to what is quoted as what millions hold dear on wildlife and environment we would have to go back to what was in place in early 20th century and no one I know will go there.No one even in the South Africa meeting seems to be able to agree and whatever policy governments follow it is a downwards trend evidenced by continual decline over last 60 years.
Martin, it was excellent to see this letter prominently dispayed in the press and also another, similar, letter and an in depth analysis in the editorial. Let's hope other papers pick up and run with the message. What I found ultimately disappointing was many of the responses to the editorial. Even among Guardian/Observer readers there seem to be climate deniers and, even sadder, those who think it all a waste of time to hope to achieve any progress. Many think it not worth while as we are such a small, non-influential, country in global terms or that shor-termism and big business will always win in the end.
It is easy to get depressed about the situation but we must encourage NGOs like the RSPB and the other signatories to keep grinding away at the government if anything is to be achieved.
Regards, Richard.