Politics is a topic that is often avoided by many nature and science communicators. They don’t want emotions, controversy and often abuse related to expressing their political views or even commenting on such. I was one of them, but I’m gradually coming to the conclusion that it is the wrong tactic. As one of the former guests on my podcast stated: “If you are interested in conservation, hunting and the future of rural communities, politics are about the most important thing you can cover. Whether we’ll still have wildlife, clean water, a liveable climate etc., hangs on laws passed and enforced by our elected officials.” And so, in this week’s episode, I take a plunge into various topics related to nature and politics with Irish environmentalist and former Green Party politician, Saoirse McHugh.
Join me for a conversation with Saoirse McHugh who is running as an independent candidate for the European Parliament to represent the Midlands-North-West constituency. During our discussion, we delve into a wide array of topics such as the connection between agriculture and environmentalism, sustainable land management practices and agricultural subsidies within the EU. We also talk about politics in general and why being politically active is important if you care about nature and the environment. Saoirse talks about her experiences in politics and her decision to re-enter the political arena. She speaks about the complexities of political landscapes and discusses the different motivations that drive individuals towards or away from politics.
Another big issue we dedicated a substantial portion of the podcast to is the EU’s Nature Restoration Law. It looked like it was approved by the majority of votes in the European Parliament, when unexpectedly the final vote that was meant to be a mere formality was postponed. So we talked about the current situation of this landmark law and whether there are still any hopes for it to pass. That led us to discuss changing political norms and the threats to democracy it brings. We finish by chatting about Saoirse’s hopes and plans for when she gets elected.
Remember to confirm that you’ve registered to vote by the 22nd of May and go ahead and exercise your democratic powers on the 7th of June.
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