Climate breakdown could become next Me Too-style movement, Chris Packham says

Climate and biodiversity breakdown could become the next Me Too or Black Lives Matter campaign, Chris Packham has said, as he described a “tragicomedy” in Westminster and Washington.

The Springwatch star warned that giving the green light to Heathrow Airport’s proposed third runway and building “misplaced housing” would result in a movement that is “not only going to be the fight of our lives but it’s going to be the fight for our lives”.

He made his comments after animal welfare minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock complained that changing Government policy can become “very, very frustrating”.

The Labour peer spoke at a House of Commons reception to mark Humane Society International’s rebrand to Humane World for Animals, alongside Mr Packham and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Pete Wicks.

Mr Packham accused the Government of “acting slowly” on biodiversity loss and nature recovery, and failing to pick “low hanging fruit” such as a ban on snare traps and hunting trophy imports.

He told the PA news agency that “patience will at a certain point run out”, adding: “It’s the public that mandates the pace of any government reform and we saw that recently and tragically during Covid.

“And it’s been very difficult for any government after that period to say after that period that it’s impossible to do things quickly, because in the face of absolute necessity, they did things, well, not as quick as some of us would have liked, but they still acted more rapidly than is typically the case.”

The presenter suggested protest groups in the style of Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil could “re-emerge”.

He said: “If any government suggests that we’re going to have another runway at Heathrow, if any government suggests that Rosebank (oil field) hasn’t been kicked into touch and all of those other 31 licences that were granted by the previous government aren’t reneged upon, and if any government suggests that they’re going to ride roughshod over the remnants of our beleaguered countryside with misplaced housing – and we’re not arguing in any way, shape or form that we don’t need housing, we do – I’m talking about the wrong types of housing in the wrong places, then it’s not only going to be the fight of our lives but it’s going to be the fight for our lives.

“And rest assured, people like myself will be fighting, and that includes protest in whatever form that takes.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a speech last month backed early-stage proposals for a third runway at Heathrow in west London.

The Government also has plans to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament, including several new towns.

Asked whether campaigners such as Mr Packham still have “patience”, he replied: “I just think that we’re living in a world where we have an American president (Donald Trump) who on a daily basis makes an absurd announcement to the point of it being tragicomedy.

“And I think there’s a pervasive bemusement, you know, because who would have thought that under any government of any nature in 2025, in the midst of climate breakdown, we would be talking about increasing aviation and possibly extracting more oil and gas from the North Sea.

“So, I think we’re in a hiatus of bemusement and I think that basically as ever there are always tipping points.

“And when you think about what motivates people to instigate global massive change, think about the Me Too movement, you know, the crimes… had been committed for many, many years, all of a sudden it tipped, thankfully.

“Black Lives Matter, tragically, you know, hundreds of thousands of black Americans were being murdered – took one, and it tips, and I think the same thing will happen when it comes to climate and biodiversity.

“It will be something that hits the world’s nerves and then we’ll see that type of action spring into play.”

Speaking to delegates and activists at the Humane World for Animals reception, Baroness Hayman said: “One of the things I didn’t expect when I became a minister was how incredibly long it takes to get anything done within the department.

“It’s very, very frustrating and you have to really keep nagging which I’m becoming very good at.”

The minister said she did not “want to be bitty” but instead focus on a “big overarching strategy”, adding a trophy hunting ban is in draft.

Baroness Hayman also said she had asked Government officials to design a ban on snare traps, and added she backed a private member’s Bill brought forward by Liberal Democrat MP Danny Chambers to restrict imports of dogs, cats and ferrets in a bid to eliminate puppy smuggling and ear cropping.

Addressing Humane Society International’s rebrand, Jeff Flocken, the organisation’s chief international officer, said: “Animals are at the heart of everything that we do.

“We know who we are – we’re an organisation on a mission to end animal cruelty and suffering whenever and wherever we find it.”