If you are at Bird Fair too then do stop and say hello!
If you do, then you’ll probably be asked whether you’d be prepared to sign this petition to ask the Icelandic PM to do her best to end whaling in Icelandic waters.
Dear Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland
Each year the British Birdwatching Fair brings together thousands of people from all walks of life, and many different nationalities, who want to make the world a better place for wildlife.
We know, with its strong environmental ethos, that your party has a firm policy opposing whaling. We are also aware of your own wish to see it stopped and we support you in your efforts to make this happen.
Please do all you can to end this awful activity which so tarnishes the image of your beautiful country.
Enjoy the Authors’ Forum and the more-than-usually sustainable food at the Bird Fair – I’ll be reporting on my day when I get home this evening.
Bird Fair holiday companies are in the news too.
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And if we tried to assess the comparative harm to the planet of our two countries, I wonder what we’d find? Even allowing for Iceland’s much lower population. Don’t think we come out looking so superior then would we.
I think this comment is a form of whataboutery. Clearly the UK has many environmental problems but does this really mean that British people are not entitled to campaign about issues that concern them elsewhere? If we take the position that only those countries or people who are absolutely without sin can comment or campaign about harmful practices they see elsewhere then nothing will ever get done anywhere.
Whaling is an activity that most countries around the world consider to be wrong on environmental and welfare grounds and it is quite reasonable for people to seek to encourage Iceland to stop doing it even if their own countries have other serious problems of their own.
It seems to me that Mark is actively engaged in campaigning against a variety of environmental ills in the UK and I am sure the same is true for many of the people who will sign the petition. None of us are perfect.
Iceland won the Cod Wars. That’s how to stand up to bullying and intimidation, I thought at the time.
Thank you JW. I wasn’t opposing the petition, just worried that it was a bit self righteous really. Wondering what Icelandic people might think when faced with it. e.g. ‘huh, those Brits, telling us to stop whaling while they put a motorway or a golf course over every bit of the few hectares of wild land they have left.’ That sort of thing. I would be delighted if all whaling stopped tomorrow naturally.