Wildlife Broadcaster Backs Greenpeace UK's Golf Course Criticism

Last month, Greenpeace UK hinted that golf courses could be put to better use and said that solar farms currently take up considerably less land. 

Now, wildlife broadcaster Chris Packham has entered the debate. The 61-year-old took to Twitter to post an image from Greenpeace UK's Instagram page that included the text: "Amount of land in the UK taken up by: Golf courses = 1,256 km2 Solar farms = 230 km2. If government ministers want to put our land to better use, why don't they take a look at golf courses first?” In response, Packham wrote: "From @GreenpeaceUK on Instagram . . . simple story isn’t it. Bonkers isn’t it? Needs changing doesn’t it? Please follow @GreenpeaceUK"

Greenpeace UK originally made the claim after it was reported that Ranil Jayawardena, who was the UK environment secretary at the time, was exploring plans to ban solar farms on agricultural land, arguing that it hinders the government’s programme of growth-boosting food production.

The environmental organisation responded to Packham's tweet saying: "Thanks so much for sharing and for all of your support Chris! It's more important than ever that the government are engaging with real solutions to the climate crisis and not sabotaging one of the cheapest and quicker-to-deploy energy sources we have."

However, Packham's support for Greenpeace UK's suggestion was met with some pushback in the replies and he later clarified his position, saying: "Who said anything about golf courses going? It doesn’t say that does it. What it says is that a leisure activity currently has more land devoted to it than a renewable energy source. No one is suggesting we put solar farms on golf courses..."

There are strong arguments that golf courses have an important role in the environment. For example, they offer green spaces in urban areas, and they can help protect coastal strips and provide vital buffers for wetlands.

Meanwhile, despite Greenpeace UK claiming 1,256 square kilometres is taken up by golf courses in the UK, a 2016 Financial Times article suggests the figure could be significantly lower.