His co-host, former Conservative minister Rory Stewart, added that a low of 2024 had been “the staggering descent into populism and extremism globally”.
Eluned Morgan, first minister of Wales, echoed these concerns, telling the Big Issue: “The rise of right-wing populism in many countries is a real concern, and the continuation of war and conflict across the world is heartbreaking.”
Poet Lemn Sissay, who campaigns on behalf of young people in care, added that understanding for immigrants and immigration had gone wrong in 2024.
“There is a myopic belief that immigration causes the deterioration of a nation, when it is nation-building,” he said. “Immigration is the nature of nature and the maker of nations. Space travel is immigration. Birth is migration from the womb to the open air. We are born immigrants. Death is the migration of breath.”
Matt Staniek, who leads the Save Windermere campaign, said: “The transition to make our natural world adaptable to climate change just isn’t happening quickly enough.
“This year, we’ve seen the devastation from extreme weather in places like Spain and the US. Climate breakdown is here now, and we urgently need our leaders to put people above corporate interests and make bold moves to protect the future.”
What the world did right
On a more positive note, the politicians and activists explained to Big Issue that many things had been done right this year, including people “becoming more engaged and empowered” in order to fight injustice in the UK and globally.
Eluned Morgan explained: “The world is a really complicated place, but I think there have been some important positive developments, especially when it comes to helping those in need. For example, we’re proud to be providing free school meals to all primary school pupils in Wales since this year, which’ll make a huge difference to their health and ability to learn, while supporting families.”
She added: “More broadly, I think there’s a growing recognition that we all have a responsibility to be the change we want to see in the world. Whether it’s tackling poverty, promoting sustainability, or protecting human rights – people are becoming more engaged and empowered to make a difference in their communities and that’s great.”
Carla Denyer added that the “exponential growth of solar power” had been a real positive in 2024, adding that “if we continue with this growth the world’s solar capacity could double in just a year, helping us to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change.”
Matt Staniek added that “the way people have come together to mobilise against injustices has been incredibly inspiring”.
“Social media, in particular, is being wielded as a powerful tool for driving real change – it feels like we’re seeing it used more effectively than ever before,” he explained.
The Big Issues to tackle in 2025
In terms of what must be done in 2025, tackling the climate crisis was at the forefront of many people’s minds.
Carla Denyer explained that the biggest challenge “has to be climate”.
“If we want to stay within 1.5C of global warming then it is the decisions that this parliament makes over the next few years that matter,” she told the Big Issue.
“And that’s why having more Greens elected in this parliament is so valuable, because we can push the government from taking small steps in the right direction to making the big changes that are needed.”
Alastair Campbell explained that climate and mental health were issues at the top of his priorities, which he said was the “same as 2024”.
Matt Staniek explained that there are “many pressing issues” to face over the next year, but as a campaigner, he hopes Labour will “commit to fully ending sewage pollution in England’s largest lake, Windermere, once and for all”.
Lemn Sissay explained that we need a “care system which works as a defender for children” in 2025 as a priority.
“The number of children in care is a barometer for the wellbeing of a nation. We need a care system. We always will. Families break down and need help at times. There were 65,000 children in care in 2015; there are over 100,000 children in care today,” he said.
Eluned Morgan explained that her primary concern next year is the people of Wales.
“Doing everything in my power to deliver on the things that people in Wales told me were their priorities over the summer. The bread and butter issues that touch people’s lives every day,” she said.
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