Have we lost the battle to save the planet?

Over the past few years it has become increasingly obvious that as a global population we have hit the self destruct button in spectacular fashion, well as least the developing nations have. We keep being told that we are almost at the point of no-return and if we don't act now the damage we have done will be irretrievable. But are we there already?

Well Michael Benfield, one of the founders of what came to be the Green Party, has declared that it is too late to save the environment, and that "the battle for the world's environmental survival is, at this moment, lost."

He made this startling declaration at a event to mark 50 years of the Green Party, admitting that he had "become somewhat of a doomsayer about efforts to protect the environment."

In his speech he said that the Green Party had worked hard to educate people over environmental issues, and felt that was an important legacy, however the party had not been able to save the planet, arguing that the sort of solutions needed would be "too unpalatable" for any party to propose - particularly in terms of economic impact. He admitted that now the focus must be on mitigation and adaptation.

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's only member of parliament, went on to say that the party had spent 50 years fighting for the survival of the planet, since being set up, and that we do not have another 50 years, stating "We are living through maybe one of the most consequential decades of human history, which I appreciate is a very big thing to say."

The overall message of the event was that politicians need to be honest about the urgency of the climate and environmental crisis - but that there needs to be hope, with practical action making a real difference.