World Environment Day should be about trade-offs, not celebrations

Last Sunday was World Environment Day, and the 50^th one at that. Increasingly, it has taken on the feel of Valentine’s Day. A day on which we declare our commitment to something that we should ideally have for all 365 days of the year. And a day when several interest groups find the opportunity to plug their activities or their faux credentials. For environmental journalists, the day makes its presence felt far in advance when public relations professionals begin hawking “quotes” and “interactions” with their clients on the subject of the environment or climate. I deliberately plan some of …