Brits (and BP shareholders) are worried about the climate crisis, so why the lack of action?
Brits are deeply worried about the climate crisis, yet struggle to act. James Reed wants to close that gap
There’s a particular kind of paralysis that comes with the environmental crisis. People care deeply – surveys show the vast majority of Britons are worried, while BP’s recent shareholder revolt, in which the oil giant’s plan to scrap its existing climate reporting was voted down, shows even in business, many are concerned about what’s coming down the line. But that concern doesn’t always translate into action.
Fighting the climate crisis is something I’m personally passionate about, and is why I’ve tried to address the gap between concern and action with my charity Big Give, and its current Earth Raise campaign.
Earth Raise is now the UK’s largest nature and climate fundraising campaign, bringing together charities, philanthropists and the public for one powerful week of giving. Together, we restore habitats, protect wildlife and take action on the climate crisis. The campaign takes a simple but powerful idea – every donation is doubled.
This matters because environmental causes have historically been underfunded. Despite widespread concern, less than six per cent of UK charitable giving goes towards the environment. Earth Raise is designed to change that – to create an international moment where backing the planet feels as immediate and accessible as any other cause. And crucially, it removes that sense of helplessness.
You might not be able to single-handedly halt deforestation or restore biodiversity. But you can back the organisations doing just that – from protecting oceans to restoring habitats – and know your contribution is amplified. Through match funding from major donors, trusts and foundations, public donations unlock even greater sums for frontline environmental work.
Having been shocked by the Channel 4 docudrama Dirty Business, which revealed water companies’ failures over pollution, this year I’ve chosen to give to Surfers Against Sewage. But you can support any of over 330 green charities taking part.
Since its origins as the Green Match Fund in 2021, the campaign has already raised tens of millions for environmental charities. The ambition now is bigger: to make Earth Raise the defining annual moment for environmental giving worldwide.
But it’s time-limited. Match funds are finite, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Today is the final day of Earth Raise; so if you’ve been meaning to do something for the planet, this is it.
- To support Earth Raise, visit www.biggive.org, choose a charity to donate to and have your money doubled before noon today. (April 29th)
What I’m watching
I encourage everyone to watch the film Ocean with David Attenborough on Disney Plus. In it, Sir David explores the importance of marine habitats and the threats they face. He argues that if mankind simply delivers what has already been agreed internationally – that 30 per cent of the world’s oceans should be protected – then they will recover relatively quickly. Let’s get on with it.
Kerry Seas Park leads the way
I have been visiting County Kerry in Ireland for decades, and am encouraged by the creation of the Kerry Seas National Park, Ireland’s first marine national park which was announced in 2024. Covering 70,000 acres of coastal and marine environments, including the Blasket Islands and Skellig Michael, it protects diverse wildlife alongside submerged archaeological sites. Visitors will see puffins, whales, dolphins, basking sharks and more. We need more areas protected in this way.
The unemployment number I look out for
While the unemployment numbers look slightly better, vacancies in the economy have declined again to 711,000; the lowest level since February to April 2021 during the third Covid lockdown. There has been an 8.3 per cent decline on a year ago. This is the first number I look at in the official jobs statistics, and is especially concerning in the spring when new jobs are traditionally opening up and recruiters talk about ‘Massive Monday’ (their busiest day of the year). Forget an industrial strategy, we urgently need a workforce strategy.
Oh Mandy
Lord Mandelson is being fined for being caught urinating in public — unhappily for me, against the front wall of my home in London. Despite all the trouble he has been causing, this is the only offence for which he has been punished – so far.
James Reed is chairman and CEO of Reed