Politicians usually get the blame for dragging their feet on

Hear, O seekers of truth, the words of Zac Goldsmith, who gazed upon the tangled web of power and declared: “Politicians usually get the blame for dragging their feet on environmental issues. And fair enough. Most of them do just that. But the blame isn't theirs alone. For politicians afraid of losing votes, a bristling media waiting to transform good green ideas into monsters is a colossal disincentive.” This saying pierces the heart of our age, for it reminds us that the failure to act is not born of one cause alone, but of many forces entwined—the fear of rulers, the fury of the crowd, and the whispering influence of those who shape the stories of the world.

The meaning of this teaching is plain yet profound. It is easy, and often just, to condemn politicians for cowardice, for their failure to confront the storms of climate and the wounds of the earth. Yet Goldsmith reveals that they are not solitary actors. Behind them stands the shadow of the media, that mighty voice which can exalt or destroy, inspire or terrify. When leaders consider bold steps to heal the planet, they do so with dread, fearing that these steps will be twisted, caricatured, and hurled back against them. Thus, even the seeds of good policy are choked before they see the light.

History bears witness to this truth. Recall the fate of Jimmy Carter, president of the United States in the 1970s, who stood before his people and warned of the perils of overconsumption and dependence on oil. He called for conservation, for renewable energy, for sacrifice in the name of the future. Yet the media mocked him, painting his words as weakness, his wisdom as gloom. His solar panels upon the White House roof were torn down by his successor, and his vision was discarded. The ridicule of the press became a weapon sharper than any sword, and the chance for early climate action was lost.

Nor is this lesson confined to America alone. In many nations, when leaders attempt to introduce green policies—carbon taxes, renewable subsidies, limits on pollution—their proposals are painted as monsters by hostile voices. Headlines thunder of lost jobs, ruined economies, and betrayed citizens. The truth of long-term salvation is drowned out by the clamor of short-term fear. Politicians, who live by the measure of votes, tremble before this storm, and so they falter, delaying the action that justice demands. Thus Goldsmith reminds us: the blame lies not only in the halls of power, but also in the chambers of the press and in the hearts of the people who let themselves be swayed.

Mark this well, O listener: responsibility for the fate of the earth does not rest upon rulers alone. The media, with its power to shape the imagination of the people, bears equal weight. And the people themselves, who reward cowardice and punish courage, are not innocent. A politician is like a sailor steering a vessel; he may know the course to safety, but if every gust of opinion threatens to throw him overboard, he will cling to shallow waters. It is for the people to demand not comfort, but truth; not flattery, but foresight.

Let this be the lesson: hold leaders accountable, yes, but also hold accountable the voices that shape the narrative. Support journalism that speaks with honesty, that clarifies instead of distorts, that lifts up wisdom instead of feeding on fear. And as citizens, do not scorn those who bring hard truths, but honor them. For only by breaking this cycle of fear—fear of lost votes, fear of monstrous headlines—can true action be taken for the sake of the earth.

Therefore, O child of tomorrow, walk with vigilance. When you hear a green idea mocked as folly, look deeper, and ask who profits from its downfall. When you see a leader falter, ask whether it was only his weakness, or also the weight of a hostile chorus, that brought him low. And above all, lend your voice to those who speak for the earth, so that the chorus of truth may drown out the clamors of fear.

Thus Goldsmith’s words become both warning and charge: that to heal the planet, we must not only awaken the courage of our rulers, but also reshape the song of the storytellers, and strengthen the hearts of the people. Only then will leaders walk boldly, and only then will the earth be preserved for generations yet unborn.