An Introduction to Green and Prosperous Land

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Talking Economics: Prof Dieter Helm

Miscellaneous


The unpalatable truth about Britain’s current approach to agriculture, water catchments and our green spaces is that it is damaging to both the environment and the economy. It is mired in decades of bureaucracy and the vested interests of lobbyists. Though the politics are complicated, the solutions are not. We can stop wasting billions per year paying farmers to own land; wasting money cleaning up water instead of preventing pollution; wasting money creating hard flood defences when natural flood management can be cheaper; and wasting money cutting down urban trees. There is a choice: we can impoverish ourselves by continuing down the current path or we can halt the devastation and work to rescue and revitalise the nature we have left. We can – and should – have a greener and more prosperous future.