A War on Climate Change: Are Environmental Activists Losing The Fight? (Chris Packham)

Nov 27, 2025

In a thought-provoking discussion, conservationist and broadcaster Chris Packham speaks about the urgent need for climate action following the unsuccessful COP climate summit in Brazil. He stresses that conservationists have a crucial role yet have fallen short, advocating for a wartime-style mobilization to tackle the crisis. Chris also highlights the connection between climate change and public health, shares practical steps individuals can take, and opens up about his struggles with neurodiversity and the personal costs of his activism.

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INSIGHT

Climate Harms Demand Long-Term Thinking

Packham rejects short-term utilitarian trade-offs that deprioritise climate for immediate humanitarian gains.
He says climate harms are intergenerational and cannot be fixed with a short-term 'vaccine' approach.

ADVICE

Make Polluters Fund The Transition

Packham says polluters must pay and fossil-fuel profits should fund the transition to renewables.
He calls for redirecting subsidies away from fossil fuels and investing in workers' retraining.

INSIGHT

Partial UK Progress Masks Big Gaps

The UK cut electricity-sector carbon by over 50% but lagged on transport and agriculture due to underinvestment and policy backsliding.
Packham highlights missed industrial opportunities in renewables manufacturing lost to other countries.

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What does it mean to confront climate change? Amol speaks to broadcaster and campaigner Chris Packham who says conservationists like him have not done enough to protect nature.

After the COP climate summit in Brazil ended without new targets to reduce the use of fossil fuels, he wants the UK government to lead a global emergency action plan as it did in World War Two and during the 2008 financial crisis to address what he calls climate and nature breakdown.

The Springwatch and Winterwatch presenter also highlights the importance of biodiversity, how carbon emissions affect our health, and the practical steps individuals can take to make a difference.

But ultimately he says we need a policy shift, which makes polluters pay.

Chris also speaks candidly about his neurodiversity, his compulsion to speak truth to power and the personal price he pays for his campaigning.

(00:06:27) The scale of the climate crisis

(00:09:22) What he wants the UK government to do

(00:12:23) Why climate change has fallen down the political agenda

(00:14:52) Short term vs long term decisions

(00:20:26) Are net zero policies working?

(00:33:55) Environmentalism as a form of misanthropy

(00:40:14) Radical solutions

(00:44:02) What Chris does to help the environment

(00:45:40) Why he thinks he and other conservationists have failed

(00:48:01) What individuals can do

(00:57:38) The price he’s paid for his campaigning

(00:59:55) Neurodiversity

(01:02:38) Amol’s reflections

GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.

Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Johnny Baker. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.